SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY

College of Engineering
First Semester, AY 2023-2024

CHE-GEN | General Chemistry | Laboratory Experiment No. 3

An organic compound resulting from a reaction is usually impure owing to the presence
of small amounts of the materials from which it was prepared or to by-products or other products
formed by secondary reactions. These impurities may either be mixed with the compound or
absorbed by it. Whenever possible, pure substances should be employed in all experimental
works. Therefore, it becomes necessary to eliminate the impurities. A few of the general methods
used for this purpose are outlined below. The method to be used in any one case will depend upon
the nature of the substance to be purified and also upon the impurities present.

Discussion
When a pure organic solid is heated, the vapor pressures of all the components are. Vapor
pressure is defined as the pressure exerted by the gas of a substance when it is in equilibrium with
the liquid or solid phase of that substance. If the vapor pressure of the major component rises more
rapidly than that of the impurity so that this vapor pressure equals one atmosphere before the
melting point of this component is reached, the solid will pass into vapor without intermediate
passage the liquid state. Upon cooling, the vapor is converted to crystals which have high degree
of purity. This process is known as sublimation. This is one of the most convenient techniques in
purifying solid organic substances which have high reasonable vapor pressures. In this method of
purification, the solid is heated until its vapor pressure is high enough to collect on a cooled surface
above the solid. One of the advantages of this method is the less time requirement and less
transferring operations as compared to crystallization but it cannot be used for the separation of
compounds having similar vapor pressures.

Procedures
Place about two (2) grams of mixture of powdered naphthalene and sodium chloride in an
evaporating dish. Cover the dish with a filter paper on a glass funnel. Heat very slowly with a
small amount of the sublimate in hot water and add a few drops of barium chloride solution.

Questions for Discussion of Results

1. What does the result indicate?
2. What is the percent yield?
3. Has the purification of the organic compound been attained?