REQUIRED PRACTICAL 5B: Prepare ethanal by the

oxidation of ethanol

REFERENCE:

[1] AQA A-LEVEL CHEMISTRY CGP STUDENT GUIDE (Author: CGP Publishers, Edition/Year:
2020)

[2] AQA PRACTICAL HANDBOOK (URL:https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/chemistry/AQA-

7404-7405-PHBK.PDF, PAGE:103)

Risk Assessment: [INFORMATION from CLEAPSS]

Hazard Risk Control Safety
measure
Acidified -Toxic if swallowed; -Use the lowest -Irrigate the eye
Sodium harmful in contact possible with gently
Dichromat with skin; causes concentration - running tap
e (VI) severe skin burns wear eye water for at
and eye damage protection least 20
-fatal if inhaled; may -use of gloves minutes
cause allergic skin
reaction; may cause
allergy or asthma if
inhaled;
Silver causes severe eye -Use the lowest -Do no more
Nitrate damage; irritating to possible than rinse and
Solution skin. It may produce concentration. spit with
black stains on the -Wear eye drinking water.
skin, which wear off protection. Do not induce
in a few days vomiting
Dilute -Causes severe eye Wear suitable Remove
Ammonia damage; irritates eye protection contaminated
Solution skin. Its odour can including when clothing.
cause distress making or Quickly use a
disposing of dry cloth or
solutions Use paper towel to
a fume wipe as much
cupboard for all liquid off the
 but test tube skin as
amounts of the possible.
gas and more Irrigate the
concentrated affected area
solutions with gently-
(including running tap
opening water for at
bottles); ensure least 20
good laboratory minutes. If a
ventilation large area is
affected or
symptoms
occur
Sodium Irritating to the eyes Use the lowest Wipe up small
Hydroxide and skin. concentration amounts with a
Solution possible; avoid damp cloth and
using the solid rinse it well. For
if possible. larger amounts,
Use the and especially
smallest for
amount (moderately)
possible concentrated
solutions,
cover with
mineral
absorbent (eg
cat litter) and
scoop into a
bucket.
Neutralise with
citric acid.
Rinse with
plenty of water.
Ethanol highly flammable Check that Smother flames
liquid & vapour. equipment for on clothing or
There is a serious extinguishing the skin with a
risk of liquid fires is nearby, fire blanket or
catching fire; eg, damp cloth, other material.
bench mat, fire Cool any burnt
blanket. Do skin with
 not use near gently-running
naked flames; if tap water for 20
heating minutes
necessary, use
an electrically-
heated water
bath or hot
water from
kettle.
Dilute It may irritate the eye Add the Do no more
Sulfuric and skin. concentrated than rinse and
Acid acid slowly to spit with
cold water (or drinking water
preferably ice)
when diluting,
never the
reverse; stir
frequently to
ensure good
mixing
Timing (pre-practical judgement):
I hope to complete the “Distillation of Ethanal from Ethanol” Section of
the practical to allow for me to have plenty of preparation time for the
tollens reagent test and for me to easily go back and repeat the Distillation
process is the distillate produced is not the intended positive result:

Apparatus:
- Distillation Apparatus
- Acidified sodium dichromate (VI)
- Protective gloves
- Stand and clamp
- 10 cm3 measuring cylinder
- 25 cm3 measuring cylinder
- Anti-bumping granules
- Test tube
- Thermometer
- Two 250 cm3 beakers
 - Ethanol
- Teat pipette
- 0.05 mol dm–3 silver nitrate solution
- 2 mol dm–3 dilute ammonia solution
- 2 mol dm–3 sodium hydroxide solution
- 1 mol dm–3 dilute sulfuric acid

Distillation of Ethanal from Ethanol:

Method: Reason:

1. Measure 12 cm3 of acidified

sodium dichromate (VI) solution
using a 25 cm3 measuring
cylinder and pour it into a boiling
tube while wearing protective
gloves.
2. Cool the boiling tube in a beaker
of cold water.
3. Measure 2 cm3 of ethanol using
a 10 cm3 measuring cylinder.
4. Add the ethanol dropwise to the To allow for a complete mix
cooled oxidising agent in the
boiling tube using a teat pipette,
shaking gently to mix.
5. Add a few anti-bumping granules To allow for a smooth boiling without
to the boiling tube and fit it with rigorous bubbling
a bung attached to a right-
angled glass delivery tube.
6. Clamp the boiling tube at about
45° in a beaker of water. Gently
heat the water and distil off
approximately 5 cm3 of liquid
distillate into a test tube
immersed in cold water to
prevent the loss of volatile
ethanal.

Test on the Distillate to Confirm Ethanal Formation:

1. Prepare Tollens’ reagent by
adding 5 drops of sodium
 hydroxide solution to 2 cm3 of
silver nitrate solution in a test
tube.
2. Add just enough dilute ammonia
solution to dissolve the brown
precipitate completely.
3. Gently warm approximately 5
cm3 of Tollens’ reagent in a test
tube using a beaker of hot water
4. Add 10 drops of the distillate
containing ethanal to the
warmed Tollens’ reagent in the
test tube.
5. Wait a few minutes and observe.
A silver mirror should form on
the walls of the test tube,
confirming the presence of
ethanal

Expected Outcome:
The distillation process should yield ethanal, confirmed by the formation of a silver mirror
in the Tollens’ test.

Background:
[1] (Only thing used throughout the entirety of this practical's chemistry)

Ethanal is produced through the oxidation of ethanol with acidified sodium dichromate
(VI). This reaction yields ethanal vapor, which is condensed and collected as a distillate.
The presence of ethanal in the distillate is confirmed through the Tollens’ silver mirror
test, where ethanal reduces silver ions to produce a silver mirror on the walls of the test
tube.

Distillation is commonly used as a separation technique to isolate organic products from

their reaction mixtures. To maximize the yield collected, it's important to only collect the
distillate at the approximate boiling point of the desired aldehyde and not higher.

The distillation apparatus typically consists of a round-bottomed flask containing the

reaction mixture, a Liebig condenser, and a collection flask. The Liebig condenser is
connected to the flask via an adapter, and water flows into the condenser at the bottom
and out at the top to ensure efficient cooling. The thermometer bulb should be placed at
the T junction connecting to the condenser to accurately measure the boiling point.

Electric heaters are often used to heat organic chemicals during distillation because they
are highly flammable and could ignite with a naked flame. Additionally, the collection
flask can be cooled in ice to improve the yield of distillate by condensing more vapors.
Proper labeling and accurate drawing of the apparatus are essential to ensure safe and
efficient distillation