(R)-(+)- limonene has a boiling point of 176 C. What made it possible to steam distill it at 100C?
- is it because you could have different weights of each one?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_distillation
Note in the reference I posed, "the boiling points are depressed." That's the secret.
The reason why (R)-(+)-limonene can be steam distilled at a lower temperature (100°C) than its boiling point (176°C) is due to a phenomenon called azeotrope formation. An azeotrope is a mixture of two or more components that has a constant boiling point and composition.
In the case of (R)-(+)-limonene, it forms an azeotrope with water. The presence of water in the mixture lowers the boiling point of the limonene-water mixture to below the boiling point of pure limonene. This allows for the steam distillation of (R)-(+)-limonene at 100°C, as the water vapor carries the limonene along with it.
To summarize, it is the formation of an azeotrope with water that allows (R)-(+)-limonene to be steam distilled at a lower temperature than its boiling point.
The ability to steam distill (R)-(+)-limonene at a temperature lower than its boiling point is mainly due to the presence of water during the distillation process. Steam distillation is a technique used to separate volatile compounds from non-volatile substances, such as extracting essential oils from plants.
During steam distillation, water is heated to its boiling point, which is 100°C at standard atmospheric pressure. The water vapor carries the volatile compounds, including (R)-(+)-limonene, along with it. The vapor mixture then passes through a condenser, where it cools down and condenses back into liquid form.
The reason (R)-(+)-limonene can be steam distilled at a lower temperature than its boiling point is because the vapor pressure of the compound is increased by the presence of water vapor. The high vapor pressure of water molecules effectively "pushes" (R)-(+)-limonene into the vapor phase. This allows for the separation of (R)-(+)-limonene from other non-volatile components in the mixture, such as plant materials or impurities.
It's important to note that the boiling point of a substance is typically measured under atmospheric pressure, while steam distillation is carried out under different conditions. By utilizing the technique of steam distillation, it becomes possible to obtain (R)-(+)-limonene at a lower temperature, around 100°C, instead of its boiling point of 176°C.