Asprin(acteyl salicylic acid) can be synthesized by reacting acetic anhydride with salicylic acid. Assume the reaction was run and 1.75 grams of a solid product was obtained. Recrystalization of the 1.75 g mixture yielded 1.50 g of asprin.

a. What was the percentage recovery of asprin from the recrystalization?

b. Why was recrystalization used for the purification of asprin rather than filteration or evaporation? Explain your answer.

im still stuck on part b :(

a. To calculate the percentage recovery of aspirin from recrystallization, you need to compare the mass of the obtained aspirin after recrystallization (1.50 g) to the initial mass of the product (1.75 g) and calculate the percentage.

Percentage recovery = (Mass of obtained product / Initial mass of product) * 100

Plugging in the values:
Percentage recovery = (1.50 g / 1.75 g) * 100
Percentage recovery ≈ 85.7%

Therefore, the percentage recovery of aspirin from recrystallization is approximately 85.7%.

b. Recrystallization is commonly used for purifying solid compounds because it provides a method to remove impurities, resulting in a purer product. Here are the reasons why recrystallization is preferred over filtration or evaporation for the purification of aspirin:

1. Filtration: Filtration is a technique used to separate solids from liquids or suspensions. While it can remove larger solid impurities, it is less effective in purifying a solid compound from smaller impurities that are dissolved within the liquid. Aspirin can be in the form of fine crystals or a powder, and filtration alone may not effectively remove all impurities.

2. Evaporation: Evaporation is a method used to separate a solvent from a solute. While it can be useful in concentrating a solution, it does not remove impurities that are soluble in the solvent. If impurities are still present after evaporation, they will remain in the solid product.

Recrystallization, on the other hand, is a technique that takes advantage of differences in solubility between the compound of interest (in this case, aspirin) and impurities. By dissolving the solid mixture in a solvent at an elevated temperature and then slowly cooling it down, the compound of interest can crystallize out, while impurities stay in the solution or form separate crystals. The crystals are then separated, washed with a suitable solvent to remove any remaining impurities, and dried to obtain a purer product.

Overall, recrystallization is selected because it allows for greater purification of the product by removing both large and small impurities, resulting in a higher-quality final product.

a)% recovery = [final mass/ initial mass] x 100%

b) hint: think about the state of matter of the impurities

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