How do you separate a mixture of alcohol,phenols and carboxylic acid in their pure form using NaOH and NaHCO3?
using filtration??
To separate a mixture of alcohol, phenols, and carboxylic acid using NaOH (sodium hydroxide) and NaHCO3 (sodium bicarbonate), the following steps can be followed:
1. Start by adding a small amount of the mixture to a test tube or a small flask.
2. To determine the presence of phenols in the mixture, add a few drops of FeCl3 (ferric chloride) solution. If a color change occurs, indicating the formation of a colored complex, it confirms the presence of phenols.
3. Now, to separate the carboxylic acid from the mixture, add a small amount of NaOH solution to the mixture and shake it gently. Carboxylic acids react with sodium hydroxide to form water-soluble sodium salts. The reaction can be represented as follows:
RCOOH + NaOH ⟶ RCOONa + H2O
The carboxylic acid will convert into its sodium salt, which will be soluble in water.
4. After the addition of NaOH, you will notice that the carboxylic acid has separated from the mixture and is now in the aqueous sodium salt form.
5. Next, to further isolate the alcohol from the remaining mixture, add NaHCO3 solution to the mixture and shake it gently. The alcohol will react with sodium bicarbonate to form an effervescence.
6. The reaction between alcohol and sodium bicarbonate can be represented as follows:
R-OH + NaHCO3 ⟶ R-O-Na+ + CO2 + H2O
The alcohol will convert into its sodium salt, which will be water-soluble.
7. After the addition of NaHCO3, you will observe gas evolution (CO2 being released) and the alcohol separating from the mixture as its sodium salt.
8. Finally, to obtain the pure alcohol, the aqueous layer containing the sodium salt of the alcohol can be acidified by adding dilute hydrochloric acid solution. This will convert the alcohol back to its original form, and it will separate as an organic layer.
9. At this stage, you have separated the carboxylic acid in its sodium salt form and the alcohol in its pure form. The phenols, which were identified in step 2, will remain in the original mixture.
Please note that this is a general procedure and the exact quantities and conditions may vary based on the specific mixture being separated. It is also crucial to exercise caution and follow appropriate safety measures when handling chemicals.