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Experiment: The Preparation of Benzoic Acid: 3C H CH Oh + 4kmno 3C H Cooh + 4mno + H O + 4koh
Experiment: The Preparation of Benzoic Acid: 3C H CH Oh + 4kmno 3C H Cooh + 4mno + H O + 4koh
After heating the solution for 20 minutes, it was cooled by running cool
water over the outside of the flask. It was then acidified with
concentrated hydrochloric acid and a brown precipitate formed.
Sodium sulfite was then added until the precipitate disappeared and
white crystals of benzoic acid became visible. The flask was placed in ice
and the crystals were filtered off by vacuum filtration. The crystals were
dried and weighed. It was found that 0.58g of benzoic acid was
obtained.
(a) Why was an excess solution of potassium manganate (VII) used? (6)
(c) Give two reasons why the solution was acidified with concentrated
hydrochloric acid. (8)
(d) How would you test the solution to find out if enough acid had been
added? (3)
(e) What reaction occurred when the sodium sulfite was added? (6)
(f) Why was the flask placed in ice before filtration? (3)
(h) The phenylmethanol was the limiting factor in this reaction. Using
the fact that the student used 1 cm3 of phenylmethanol (density =
1.04g/cm3 ) calculate:
(i) the theoretical yield (12)
(ii) the percentage yield if 0.58g of benzoic acid was obtained (3)
Worked Answers
(d) Dip a glass rod into the conical flask and touch the end of the glass
rod to a piece of damp blue litmus paper. The solution should be acidic
(blue litmus paper turns red).
(g) Place filter paper with crystals on clock glass and put them in an
oven at a low temperature.
(h)
(i) mass = density x volume
(1.04 g/cm3 ) (1 cm3 ) = 1.04g phenylmethanol.
Look at the ratio in the balanced equation. There are three moles of
phenylmethanol to every three moles of benzoic acid.
So the theoretical yield of benzoic acid is 0.00962 moles. Lets get that
in grams.