Explain the fact that acetic acid can be extracted quantitatively from ether solution by dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide solution.
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The fact that acetic acid can be extracted quantitatively from an ether solution by dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide solution can be explained through the process of acid-base extraction, specifically using the principle of neutralization reaction.
Here's a step-by-step explanation of the process:
Step 1: Acetic acid (CH3COOH) is a weak acid, which means it partially ionizes in water to produce hydrogen ions (H+) and acetate ions (CH3COO-).
CH3COOH ⇌ H+ + CH3COO-
Step 2: When acetic acid is dissolved in an organic solvent like ether, it forms a solution. However, the separation of acetic acid from this solution using water is not efficient due to their immiscibility.
Step 3: The addition of dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to the ether solution leads to the neutralization of acetic acid by the strong base NaOH according to the following reaction:
CH3COOH + NaOH → CH3COONa + H2O
Step 4: In this reaction, acetic acid (CH3COOH) reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to form sodium acetate (CH3COONa) and water (H2O). Sodium acetate is soluble in water, while ether is insoluble in water.
Step 5: As a result, the sodium acetate formed dissolves in the aqueous phase while the remaining ether and impurities remain in the organic phase.
Step 6: The two phases, organic (ether) and aqueous (water containing sodium acetate), can be separated using a separating funnel. The organic phase (ether) can be discarded, and the aqueous phase containing sodium acetate is further processed to extract acetic acid.
Step 7: Acetic acid can be recovered from the aqueous sodium acetate solution by adding a stronger acid, such as hydrochloric acid (HCl). This causes the neutralization reaction to shift in reverse:
CH3COONa + HCl → CH3COOH + NaCl
Step 8: The resulting acetic acid (CH3COOH) can be isolated from the solution by evaporation or other purification techniques, depending on the desired application.
Overall, the sequential steps of adding dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide to an ether solution of acetic acid, followed by the separation of the organic and aqueous phases and subsequent acidification, enable the quantitative extraction of acetic acid from the ether solution.
Acetic acid, also known as ethanoic acid, is a weak acid that can be extracted from an ether solution by using dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution. This extraction process is based on the principle of acid-base reactions and the differential solubility of compounds in different solvents.
To understand the extraction process, let's break it down into several steps:
Step 1: Acid-Base Reaction
When acetic acid is treated with sodium hydroxide, a neutralization reaction takes place:
CH3COOH + NaOH → CH3COONa + H2O
In this reaction, acetic acid (CH3COOH) donates a proton (H+) to sodium hydroxide (NaOH), forming sodium acetate (CH3COONa) and water (H2O). The product, sodium acetate, is a water-soluble ionic compound.
Step 2: Extraction
The ether solution that contains acetic acid and other organic compounds is mixed with the dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide solution. Since sodium acetate is water-soluble, it dissolves in the aqueous phase, while the organic compounds remain in the organic phase (ether).
Step 3: Phase Separation
After mixing, the mixture is allowed to settle so that two distinct layers can form: an aqueous layer (containing sodium acetate and water) and an organic layer (containing the remaining organic compounds).
Step 4: Separation and Recovery
The two layers are carefully separated by decantation or with the help of a separatory funnel. The organic layer (ether) is isolated, leaving behind the aqueous layer.
Step 5: Regenerating Acetic Acid
To recover acetic acid from the sodium acetate solution, an acidic substance (such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid) is added to the aqueous layer. This causes an acid-base reaction that reverses the previous neutralization reaction:
CH3COONa + HCl → CH3COOH + NaCl
The result of this reaction is the formation of acetic acid (CH3COOH) and sodium chloride (NaCl). Acetic acid, being less soluble in water, separates out as a separate organic layer or can be extracted again using an organic solvent like ether.
In summary, the quantitative extraction of acetic acid from an ether solution using dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide involves a neutralization reaction to convert the acid into a water-soluble salt, followed by a phase separation process to separate the aqueous and organic layers. Finally, the acetic acid can be regenerated by adding an acidic substance to the aqueous layer, resulting in the formation of acetic acid in a recoverable form.