CHEM 121 LAB REPORT 8 ORGANIC SYNTHESIS
2026 COMPREHENSIVE EXPERIMENT WRITE-UP
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS VERIFIED
◉ (Exp. 2) What species if formed when benzoic acid reacts with
NaOH(aq)? Answer: *Can't put on here because the question
includes an image- refer to lab manual for full question and answer.
◉ (Exp. 2) What is the density of water at room temperature in
g/mL? Give just the number and not the unit. Answer: 1.0
◉ (Exp. 2) Which layer will be the ether layer in a separatory funnel
containing diethyl ether and a saturated aqueous solution of NaCl?
Answer: the top layer
◉ (Exp. 2) Why should you vent the separatory funnel periodically
when preforming an extraction involving organic solvents? Answer:
Mixing increases the evaporation of volatile organic solvents
creating pressure in the closed space of a separatory funnel.
◉ (Exp. 2) How much anhydrous magnesium sulfate is required to
dry a diethyl ether solution after preforming extractions involving
water? Answer: Enough such that some powder remains free
flowing in solution with swirling without clumping.
,◉ (Exp. 2) Why is sodium benzoate more soluble in water than
benzoic acid? Answer: Sodium benzoate is more soluble in water
than benzoic acid because sodium benzoate has an ionic bond, while
benzoic acid has a hydrogen bond. Ionic bonds are more soluble in
water than hydrogen bond.
◉ (Exp. 2) Why is biphenyl more soluble in diethyl ether than water?
Answer: Biphenyl is more soluble in diethyl ether than water,
because biphenyl is a non-polar compound, which furthermore
makes it insoluble in water. Diethyl ether on the other hand is non-
polar as well, which allows biphenyl to dissolve in it.
◉ (Exp. 2) What solvent (diethyl ether or water) would glucose
(shown below) be most soluble in? Briefly explain why? Answer:
Glucose would be most soluble in water because of its polarity.
Diethyl ether is non-polar compound while glucose is a polar
compound. According to the "like dissolves like" principle, glucose is
unable to dissolve in diethyl ether.
◉ (Exp. 2) Outline a procedure for separating anthracene and 4-
chloroaniline (shown below) using extraction and possibly
acid/base chemistry. Answer: Step 1: Add 10% HCl and ether to both
of the compounds. (this will make an organic and an aqueous layer)
Step 2: Separate the organic and aqueous layer into different
containers and label them
, Step 3: Evaporate the solvent from the organic layer, and from there
you will get a pure compound (anthracene)
Step 4: add %10 NaOH and ether to the aqueous layer
Step 5: Separate the aqueous and organic layer once again
Step 6: Evaporate the solvent from the organic layer, and from there
you will get a pure compound (4-chloroaniline)
◉ (Exp. 3) What size filter paper should be used with a Hirsch
funnel? Answer: 10 mm
◉ (Exp. 3) Which of the following will be most soluble in hot water?
Answer: o-chlorobenzoic acid
◉ (Exp. 3) What is a good temperature to set the hot plate to for
safely and effectively warming a shell vial with 1 mL of ethanol for
recrystallization? Answer: 100 degrees C
◉ (Exp. 3) Which of the following is halogenated? Answer: o-
chlorobenzoic acid
◉ (Exp. 3) What should the reading be on a balance displaying mass
in grams be for a sample weighing 50mg? Answer: 0.050
2026 COMPREHENSIVE EXPERIMENT WRITE-UP
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS VERIFIED
◉ (Exp. 2) What species if formed when benzoic acid reacts with
NaOH(aq)? Answer: *Can't put on here because the question
includes an image- refer to lab manual for full question and answer.
◉ (Exp. 2) What is the density of water at room temperature in
g/mL? Give just the number and not the unit. Answer: 1.0
◉ (Exp. 2) Which layer will be the ether layer in a separatory funnel
containing diethyl ether and a saturated aqueous solution of NaCl?
Answer: the top layer
◉ (Exp. 2) Why should you vent the separatory funnel periodically
when preforming an extraction involving organic solvents? Answer:
Mixing increases the evaporation of volatile organic solvents
creating pressure in the closed space of a separatory funnel.
◉ (Exp. 2) How much anhydrous magnesium sulfate is required to
dry a diethyl ether solution after preforming extractions involving
water? Answer: Enough such that some powder remains free
flowing in solution with swirling without clumping.
,◉ (Exp. 2) Why is sodium benzoate more soluble in water than
benzoic acid? Answer: Sodium benzoate is more soluble in water
than benzoic acid because sodium benzoate has an ionic bond, while
benzoic acid has a hydrogen bond. Ionic bonds are more soluble in
water than hydrogen bond.
◉ (Exp. 2) Why is biphenyl more soluble in diethyl ether than water?
Answer: Biphenyl is more soluble in diethyl ether than water,
because biphenyl is a non-polar compound, which furthermore
makes it insoluble in water. Diethyl ether on the other hand is non-
polar as well, which allows biphenyl to dissolve in it.
◉ (Exp. 2) What solvent (diethyl ether or water) would glucose
(shown below) be most soluble in? Briefly explain why? Answer:
Glucose would be most soluble in water because of its polarity.
Diethyl ether is non-polar compound while glucose is a polar
compound. According to the "like dissolves like" principle, glucose is
unable to dissolve in diethyl ether.
◉ (Exp. 2) Outline a procedure for separating anthracene and 4-
chloroaniline (shown below) using extraction and possibly
acid/base chemistry. Answer: Step 1: Add 10% HCl and ether to both
of the compounds. (this will make an organic and an aqueous layer)
Step 2: Separate the organic and aqueous layer into different
containers and label them
, Step 3: Evaporate the solvent from the organic layer, and from there
you will get a pure compound (anthracene)
Step 4: add %10 NaOH and ether to the aqueous layer
Step 5: Separate the aqueous and organic layer once again
Step 6: Evaporate the solvent from the organic layer, and from there
you will get a pure compound (4-chloroaniline)
◉ (Exp. 3) What size filter paper should be used with a Hirsch
funnel? Answer: 10 mm
◉ (Exp. 3) Which of the following will be most soluble in hot water?
Answer: o-chlorobenzoic acid
◉ (Exp. 3) What is a good temperature to set the hot plate to for
safely and effectively warming a shell vial with 1 mL of ethanol for
recrystallization? Answer: 100 degrees C
◉ (Exp. 3) Which of the following is halogenated? Answer: o-
chlorobenzoic acid
◉ (Exp. 3) What should the reading be on a balance displaying mass
in grams be for a sample weighing 50mg? Answer: 0.050
