This reaction was catalyzed by an acid. During the work-up why did you extract w

ID: 830781 • Letter: T

Question

This reaction was catalyzed by an acid. During the work-up why did you extract with water and not sodium hydroxide?

Extracting with sodium hydroxide will convert the final product back to the starting material.

Extracting with water will remove any excess sulfuric acid without deprotonating the final product.

Sodium hydroxide is not a strong enough base to neutralize sulfuric acid.

Water is a stronger base than sodium hydroxide.

Extracting with sodium hydroxide will convert the final product back to the starting material.

Extracting with water will remove any excess sulfuric acid without deprotonating the final product.

Sodium hydroxide is not a strong enough base to neutralize sulfuric acid.

Water is a stronger base than sodium hydroxide.

b. Extracting with water will remove any excess sulfuric acid without deprotonating the final product

reason...sulphuric acid can protonate electrophilic groups and it can protonate and cause reaction.

but as well it can cataluse backward reaction if allowed by maintaining it in excess by protonating the product.

that's why water continuously carries out the excess sulphuric acid present to drive the reaction in forward direction.

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