UPLOAD NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4th

EXPERIMENTS 4 AND 5: POST-LAB TEST

Answer the following questions.
1.- It is desired to separate a mixture of cyclohexane and toluene by distillation.
a) Investigate the boiling points of both solvents at 760 mmHg.
b) Estimate the boiling points of both solvents in Mexico City (585 mmHg).

2.- Simple distillation and fractional distillation of 25.0 mL of the cyclohexane–toluene mixture was carried out. The temperature at
which different volumes of the mixture were distilled was recorded. The results are listed below:
Simple Distillation: Cyclohexane-Toluene Fractional Distillation: Cyclohexane-Toluene
Distilled Volume (mL) Temperature (°C) Distilled Volume (mL) Temperature (°C)
0.0 78.0 0.0 71.0
Head Head
2.0 80.0 2.0 74.6
4.5 81.0 4.0 75.1
6.0 82.0 6.0 76.2
7.0 83.8 Fraction A 8.0 78.0
8.5 85.8 10.0 78.9
9.0 86.0 11.0 82.0
10.0 87.0 12.0 88.0
12.0 89.0 Fraction B 13.0 94.5
Body 14.0 90.0 14.0 97.0
15.0 91.8 15.0 97.0
16.5 93.0 16.0 97.5
18.0 94.2 18.0 98.0
Fraction C
19.0 95.5 20.0 98.5
20.0 96.0 22.0 98.5
22.0 98.0 23.0 98.5
23.0 99.0 Tail 24.0-25.0 –
Tail 24.0-25.0 –
a) Plot the temperature (°C) as a function of the distilled volume (mL) for Simple Distillation and Fractional Distillation.
b) Which technique (simple distillation and/or fractional distillation) is the best to carry out a possible separation of the cyclohexane-
toluene mixture? Explain your answer based on the plots of temperature vs. distilled volume.

3.- To know the composition of the cyclohexane–toluene mixture, the 1H-NMR spectra of both components and the mixture were
obtained:
a) Assign the observed signals to the spectrum of cyclohexane.
b) Assign the observed signals to the spectrum of toluene.
c) Based on the 1H-NMR spectrum of the cyclohexane–toluene mixture, estimate the percentage composition v/v and m/m? Include
calculations.

4.- Fractions A, B and C of the fractional distillation were analyzed by 1H-NMR. Based on the 1H-NMR spectra, indicate the %v/v
compositions of the fractions in the following table. Include calculations.

% v/v Head Fraction A Fraction B Fraction C Tail

Cyclohexane
Toluene

5.- Under the conditions used to carry out fractional distillation, is it possible to separate the cyclohexane–toluene mixture? Explain
based on the percentage compositions and physicochemical properties of the components.
 EXPERIMENTS 4 AND 5: POST-LAB QUESTIONS
1.- The vapor pressure of acetonitrile at different temperatures is listed below:

T [°C] P [mmHg]
-16.3 10.0
7.7 40.0
20.0 70.2
39.5 166.7
59.7 363.2
70.1 521.6
81.8 760.0

a) Plot the above data and propose an equation to calculate the vapor pressure at different temperatures.
b) Using only linear regressions, estimate the value of the vapor pressure of acetonitrile at 200, 400, and 585 mmHg.
2.- A solution of acetonitrile, dichloromethane and benzene was prepared. Based on the 1H-NMR spectrum, estimate the %m/m and
%v/v of acetonitrile, dichloromethane, and benzene in the solution.
3.- Could a mixture of two liquids with boiling points of 55 °C and 76 °C be separated by simple distillation? And by fractional
distillation? Finally, which liquid would be obtained first?
4.- What is the purpose of a water countercurrent flow in the condenser?
5.- How would you separate the components of a mixture of activated carbon, acetone and water?
6.- For a fractional distillation of two liquid components of different boiling points, what are the compositions of the liquids at the top
of the Vigreux column compared to those at the bottom?
7.- What are the purposes of distilling liquids?
8.- What do the head, body and tail of the distillate represent?
9.- What are the precautions that we must consider when carrying out a distillation?