(P5)Producing and testing methods for an organic solid.
Vocational scenario:
“You are a lab technician working for the research and development department of a
pharmaceutical company. One of the products produced by the company is aspirin. You
are investigating how to produce and test the purity of the produced aspirin in the lab
and comparing it to the processes in industry.
Who: Lab technician researching a pharmaceutical company.
What: investigate how aspirin is produced.
How: By producing aspirin in the laboratory.
Why: I will be doing this assignment to research the synthesis of aspirin and the benefits
it provides as well as the equipment, cost, and manpower needed to synthesise.
Aspirin synthesis in the laboratory
Aim: To synthesise a sample of aspirin in the laboratory and to work out its percentage
yield as well as analysing the purity of the product buy comparing its melting/boiling
point with its literature value which is between 138-140 oC if the sample melting point
does not fall within the temperature range this means there are impurities in the sample.
Safety equipment: goggles, heat proof mat, fume cupboard, lab coat, nitrile gloves
Apparatus:
-Salicylic acid -Burette Clamp -Bunsen burner
-acetic anhydride -Stand with iron ring -Distilled water
-85% phosphoric acid -gauze -Ice bath
-50ml flask -Beaker with tap water -Filter paper
-Büchner funnel -Aspirator
Second period
-Shell Vial -Melting point apparatus -capillary tubes
Method:
Day 1 – Synthesis
1.Using a balance weigh 2 g of salicylic acid, in the fume cupboard transfer 5.0ml of
acetic anhydride from a burette into the 50ml flask containing the 2g of salicylic acid,
add five drops of phosphoric acid (this will act as the catalyst) to the flask.
2.Place the flask in the beaker with water over the flame of a Bunsen burner (water bath)
stir to completely dissolve the salicylic acid. Heat until water begins to boil, shut off flame
but keep flask in the water for 10 minutes.
3.While the flask is in the water bath add 2ml of distilled water, this will decompose
excess acetic anhydride.
Page 1 of 14
, 4.wait one minute, take out the flask and add 20ml of distilled water. Allow to cool down,
as the solution cools down crystals will begin to appear. Place flask in the ice bath to
further cool the substance, at the same time chill 5-10ml distilled water in separate
container.
5.Set up a Büchner funnel on a vacuum flask connected to aspirator, turn on the
aspirator and transfer the aspirin into the funnel. Was crystals with distilled water.
Porous plate
Suction from aspirator creates
a partial vacuum
6.Transfer filter paper to watch glass and allow to air dry.
7.Discard filtrate.
Day 2-Analysis/Melting point
1.Weigh the aspirin to work out the yield for the reaction. Compare with the theorical
yield.
2.Pack couple crystal of aspirin into a melting point capillary tube. Increase temperature
of melting point apparatus to increase one degree per minute starting from 120 oC
Record the melting point range of the product. The melting point range is the
temperature when no more crystals remain.
Risk Assessment
Chemical Hazards:
Page 2 of 14
Vocational scenario:
“You are a lab technician working for the research and development department of a
pharmaceutical company. One of the products produced by the company is aspirin. You
are investigating how to produce and test the purity of the produced aspirin in the lab
and comparing it to the processes in industry.
Who: Lab technician researching a pharmaceutical company.
What: investigate how aspirin is produced.
How: By producing aspirin in the laboratory.
Why: I will be doing this assignment to research the synthesis of aspirin and the benefits
it provides as well as the equipment, cost, and manpower needed to synthesise.
Aspirin synthesis in the laboratory
Aim: To synthesise a sample of aspirin in the laboratory and to work out its percentage
yield as well as analysing the purity of the product buy comparing its melting/boiling
point with its literature value which is between 138-140 oC if the sample melting point
does not fall within the temperature range this means there are impurities in the sample.
Safety equipment: goggles, heat proof mat, fume cupboard, lab coat, nitrile gloves
Apparatus:
-Salicylic acid -Burette Clamp -Bunsen burner
-acetic anhydride -Stand with iron ring -Distilled water
-85% phosphoric acid -gauze -Ice bath
-50ml flask -Beaker with tap water -Filter paper
-Büchner funnel -Aspirator
Second period
-Shell Vial -Melting point apparatus -capillary tubes
Method:
Day 1 – Synthesis
1.Using a balance weigh 2 g of salicylic acid, in the fume cupboard transfer 5.0ml of
acetic anhydride from a burette into the 50ml flask containing the 2g of salicylic acid,
add five drops of phosphoric acid (this will act as the catalyst) to the flask.
2.Place the flask in the beaker with water over the flame of a Bunsen burner (water bath)
stir to completely dissolve the salicylic acid. Heat until water begins to boil, shut off flame
but keep flask in the water for 10 minutes.
3.While the flask is in the water bath add 2ml of distilled water, this will decompose
excess acetic anhydride.
Page 1 of 14
, 4.wait one minute, take out the flask and add 20ml of distilled water. Allow to cool down,
as the solution cools down crystals will begin to appear. Place flask in the ice bath to
further cool the substance, at the same time chill 5-10ml distilled water in separate
container.
5.Set up a Büchner funnel on a vacuum flask connected to aspirator, turn on the
aspirator and transfer the aspirin into the funnel. Was crystals with distilled water.
Porous plate
Suction from aspirator creates
a partial vacuum
6.Transfer filter paper to watch glass and allow to air dry.
7.Discard filtrate.
Day 2-Analysis/Melting point
1.Weigh the aspirin to work out the yield for the reaction. Compare with the theorical
yield.
2.Pack couple crystal of aspirin into a melting point capillary tube. Increase temperature
of melting point apparatus to increase one degree per minute starting from 120 oC
Record the melting point range of the product. The melting point range is the
temperature when no more crystals remain.
Risk Assessment
Chemical Hazards:
Page 2 of 14
