When isolating cinnamaldehyde from a cinnamon stick, we crushed the stick and bo

Question

When isolating cinnamaldehyde from a cinnamon stick, we crushed the stick and boiled it in a vial of water. After boiling for 25 min, we cooled the aqueous solution and transfered just the liquid into a test tube. We added dimethyl ether to the test tube and inverted it ten times. The stopper on the test tube had to be removed every three inversions because pressure was building up in the tube. Then, the test tube was placed in a rack and allowed to separate. The top layer consisting of dimethyl ether, cinnamaldehyde, and some water was transferred into a small reaction vial and mixed with magnesium sulfate for drying. The aqueous solution was then transferred into petri dish and placed under a fume hood to allow the dimethyl ether to boil off, leaving cinnamaldehye.

1) Why did pressure build up in the test tube during inversion?

2) Do the dimethyl ether and cinnamaldehyde separate to the top of the solution after inversion because they form dipole dipole interactions?

3) I know it clumps, but how exactly does the magnesium interact with the water to remove it?

Explanation / Answer

1). Carbondioxide will be formed in the test tube and thus the pressure builds up in the test tube....

2). Dimethyl ether and cinnamaldehyde seperate to the top layer.....

3). magnesium sulphate is used for drying....

magnesium interacts with water to form magnesium hydroxide ...

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