Objective: separate an unknown neutral organic compound froman acidic impurity Q

Question

Objective: separate an unknown neutral organic compound froman acidic impurity Question: Based upon the observations of HCL extract (test tube #1 and#2) and NaOH extract (test tube #3 and #4), comment on whether theextraction was effective in the separation of the neutral compoundfrom the impurity. Objective: separate an unknown neutral organic compound froman acidic impurity Question: Based upon the observations of HCL extract (test tube #1 and#2) and NaOH extract (test tube #3 and #4), comment on whether theextraction was effective in the separation of the neutral compoundfrom the impurity.

Explanation / Answer

When you are dealing with a neutral(nonpolar) compound and anacidic one, your goal is to make make one of them soluble insomething else so you can separate them. The HCL one will not workbecause when you add the acidic compound to an acidic environmentit remains fully protonated which will cause it to still dissolvein an organic solvent easily since it is also neutral. But if you add an acidic compound to a basic environment you end updeprotonating the compound and producing a salt which is very polarand dissolves very well in water. So now with the acidic(polar)compound being able to dissolve in water while theneutral(nonpolar) compound can dissolve in an organic solvent youcan easily separate the two.So the NAOH is effecetive and the HCLno. for more information look up liquid/liquid extractions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid-liquid_extraction

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