Producing designer molecules
The objective of this assignment is to provide evidence that I can synthesize organic
compounds of decent yield and purity.
I produced the following:
A compound without a carbonyl group - the halogenoalkane 2-Chloro-2-
methylpropane
A compound with a carbonyl group – the alcohol Propanal
An aromatic compound – Paracetamol
Experiment techniques and their principles
Principle of solvent (liquid-liquid) extraction
Solvent extraction is a process which extracts a compound from a liquid by utilizing
immiscible liquids. Immiscible liquids are liquids that are not soluble in one another
due to their differences of polarity. So, when added to each other they form an
immiscible mixture of layers, the denser liquid below the less dense liquid. Solvent
extraction typically uses an aqueous phase and organic phase as the immiscible
mixture. To perform the extraction, the solvents will require a separating funnel
which should have a funnel tap at the bottom of it.
https://
www.researchgate.net/figure/Diagrammatic-illustration-of-liquid-liquid-extraction-adapted-
from-Nichols-100_fig1_353282886
So, if a compound is dissolved in an aqueous phase and an organic phase is added
which the compound can dissolve more readily within, the compound will diffuse
into the organic compound. To make it more time efficient, shake the solvents when
added together. Once it has settled and separated, the denser layer at the bottom
of the funnel can be slowly drawn out into a beaker. The compound can then be
separated from the organic compound by evaporating the organic compound.
Principle of distillation
,Distillation also involves evaporation and condensation; however, the intention of
distillation is to separate components of miscible mixtures (a mixture consisting of
liquids that are soluble in one another) to purify the component in demand, not to
ensure they have reacted. Referring to laboratory distillation, which is also known
as simple distillation because it only involves purifying one component (at a time),
the mixture is still heated within a round-bottomed flask, but it is heated to the
boiling point of the component which needs to be separated. A Liebig condenser is
still used but at a different position:
https://www.bing.com/images/blob?bcid=RP3opfMAMxoH3O-uXnvnQuBLCHNH.....9k
The condenser is positioned at a downward angle between the round-bottomed
flask and an empty conical flask to produce a pure component also known as the
distillate.
Principle of filtration
Simple filtration removes any solid impurities within a mixture by pouring the
mixture through porous filter paper which only allows liquids of low viscosity to
surpass its pores. The set up is as follows: The filter paper is folded into a cone to
line the surface of a funnel opening. The funnel is positioned above a conical flask
so that the impure mixture can be gradually poured into the funnel and through the
filter paper, collecting filtrate within the conical flask.
, https://www.bing.com/images/blob?bcid=RJxvVCrRLBoH3O-uXnvnQuBLCHNH.....zE
The removed solid impurities result in a residue which can be disposed of.
The process of hot filtration follows the same principle as simple filtration but is
specifically for mixtures that crystalize at cool temperatures. The mixture is heated
before being filtered so that no crystals form, as these will also be removed from
the mixture, decreasing the product yield.
Vacuum pump filtration
Vacuum pump filtration increases the efficiency and speed of the filtration process,
utilizing the Buchner setup to do so: The impure mixture is poured into a Buchner
funnel which holds both a filter paper and filter plate (a porous plate which also only
allows liquid of low viscosity to surpass its pores), increasing the efficiency. The
Buchner funnel is positioned above a Buchner Flask which has an opening to
connect the flask to a vacuum pump. This creates a pressure difference across the
filters so that there is a partial vacuum within the flask to suction the filtrate,
increasing the speed.
https://www.bing.com/images/blob?bcid=RKDlrK6hHhoHqxcxoNWLuD9SqbotqVTdP1U
(the preferred method is for the suction to be from a vacuum pump, not an
aspirator)
Principle of crystallization
Crystallization is a process during which a substance (solute) previously dissolved
within a solution becomes a solid in the form of crystal. Crystallization is induced by
the solute becoming less soluble due to changes in concentration, temperature
or/and ph. There are two main stages of crystal formation: the initial development
of crystals is known as nucleation and then growth occurs. Nucleation is when the
substance separates from the solution and becomes arranged within a crystalline
The objective of this assignment is to provide evidence that I can synthesize organic
compounds of decent yield and purity.
I produced the following:
A compound without a carbonyl group - the halogenoalkane 2-Chloro-2-
methylpropane
A compound with a carbonyl group – the alcohol Propanal
An aromatic compound – Paracetamol
Experiment techniques and their principles
Principle of solvent (liquid-liquid) extraction
Solvent extraction is a process which extracts a compound from a liquid by utilizing
immiscible liquids. Immiscible liquids are liquids that are not soluble in one another
due to their differences of polarity. So, when added to each other they form an
immiscible mixture of layers, the denser liquid below the less dense liquid. Solvent
extraction typically uses an aqueous phase and organic phase as the immiscible
mixture. To perform the extraction, the solvents will require a separating funnel
which should have a funnel tap at the bottom of it.
https://
www.researchgate.net/figure/Diagrammatic-illustration-of-liquid-liquid-extraction-adapted-
from-Nichols-100_fig1_353282886
So, if a compound is dissolved in an aqueous phase and an organic phase is added
which the compound can dissolve more readily within, the compound will diffuse
into the organic compound. To make it more time efficient, shake the solvents when
added together. Once it has settled and separated, the denser layer at the bottom
of the funnel can be slowly drawn out into a beaker. The compound can then be
separated from the organic compound by evaporating the organic compound.
Principle of distillation
,Distillation also involves evaporation and condensation; however, the intention of
distillation is to separate components of miscible mixtures (a mixture consisting of
liquids that are soluble in one another) to purify the component in demand, not to
ensure they have reacted. Referring to laboratory distillation, which is also known
as simple distillation because it only involves purifying one component (at a time),
the mixture is still heated within a round-bottomed flask, but it is heated to the
boiling point of the component which needs to be separated. A Liebig condenser is
still used but at a different position:
https://www.bing.com/images/blob?bcid=RP3opfMAMxoH3O-uXnvnQuBLCHNH.....9k
The condenser is positioned at a downward angle between the round-bottomed
flask and an empty conical flask to produce a pure component also known as the
distillate.
Principle of filtration
Simple filtration removes any solid impurities within a mixture by pouring the
mixture through porous filter paper which only allows liquids of low viscosity to
surpass its pores. The set up is as follows: The filter paper is folded into a cone to
line the surface of a funnel opening. The funnel is positioned above a conical flask
so that the impure mixture can be gradually poured into the funnel and through the
filter paper, collecting filtrate within the conical flask.
, https://www.bing.com/images/blob?bcid=RJxvVCrRLBoH3O-uXnvnQuBLCHNH.....zE
The removed solid impurities result in a residue which can be disposed of.
The process of hot filtration follows the same principle as simple filtration but is
specifically for mixtures that crystalize at cool temperatures. The mixture is heated
before being filtered so that no crystals form, as these will also be removed from
the mixture, decreasing the product yield.
Vacuum pump filtration
Vacuum pump filtration increases the efficiency and speed of the filtration process,
utilizing the Buchner setup to do so: The impure mixture is poured into a Buchner
funnel which holds both a filter paper and filter plate (a porous plate which also only
allows liquid of low viscosity to surpass its pores), increasing the efficiency. The
Buchner funnel is positioned above a Buchner Flask which has an opening to
connect the flask to a vacuum pump. This creates a pressure difference across the
filters so that there is a partial vacuum within the flask to suction the filtrate,
increasing the speed.
https://www.bing.com/images/blob?bcid=RKDlrK6hHhoHqxcxoNWLuD9SqbotqVTdP1U
(the preferred method is for the suction to be from a vacuum pump, not an
aspirator)
Principle of crystallization
Crystallization is a process during which a substance (solute) previously dissolved
within a solution becomes a solid in the form of crystal. Crystallization is induced by
the solute becoming less soluble due to changes in concentration, temperature
or/and ph. There are two main stages of crystal formation: the initial development
of crystals is known as nucleation and then growth occurs. Nucleation is when the
substance separates from the solution and becomes arranged within a crystalline
