Would it be possible to separate hexane (b.p. 68.95 degrees Celsius) from toluene (b.p. 110.6 degrees Celsius) by simple distillation?

One would think so as long as the two don't form an azeotrope. I can't find anything on the web that confirms that an azeotrope exists between hexane and toluene but a number of sites hint that it does. You may want to go to www.google.com and type in some key phrases. I used "hexane and toluene azeotrope."

To determine if it is possible to separate hexane from toluene by simple distillation, we need to consider their boiling points and the principles of distillation.

Simple distillation relies on the difference in boiling points between two or more components of a mixture to separate them. In this case, hexane has a lower boiling point than toluene, which suggests that separation by simple distillation is feasible.

The boiling point of a substance represents the temperature at which its vapor pressure is equal to the atmospheric pressure. During distillation, the mixture is heated, and the component with the lower boiling point vaporizes first, while the higher boiling point component remains as a liquid. The vapor is then condensed and collected separately.

In the case of hexane and toluene, hexane would vaporize first as it has a lower boiling point (68.95 degrees Celsius) compared to toluene (110.6 degrees Celsius). By heating the mixture and carefully controlling the temperature, it is possible to collect the hexane vapor while leaving the toluene behind as a liquid.

However, it is important to note that simple distillation is effective for separating components with a boiling point difference of at least 25-30 degrees Celsius. While the boiling point difference between hexane and toluene is greater than this threshold, there might still be some overlap in their boiling point ranges. This can lead to a partial separation rather than complete purification.

To achieve better separation, a more advanced distillation technique called fractional distillation can be used. Fractional distillation utilizes a fractionating column, which provides multiple vaporization-condensation cycles, resulting in improved separation of components with boiling points that are close together.

In summary, while hexane and toluene can be separated to some extent using simple distillation due to their differing boiling points, achieving complete separation may require more advanced techniques such as fractional distillation.