The extraction of benzoic acid and naphthalene is a common laboratory procedure that involves the separation of these two compounds from a mixture. Benzoic acid is a commonly used food preservative, while naphthalene is a fragrant organic compound that is used in the production of a variety of products, including mothballs. In this lab report, we will describe the steps involved in the extraction of benzoic acid and naphthalene, as well as the results of the extraction.
The first step in the extraction of benzoic acid and naphthalene is the preparation of the sample. A mixture of benzoic acid and naphthalene is prepared by dissolving a known amount of each compound in a solvent, such as dichloromethane or hexane. The mixture is then filtered to remove any impurities or contaminants.
Next, the extraction of the compounds from the mixture is performed. This is typically done using a separation funnel, which allows the mixture to be separated into two layers: an organic layer containing the benzoic acid and naphthalene, and an aqueous layer containing any water-soluble impurities. The organic layer is collected and the aqueous layer is discarded.
The organic layer is then washed with aqueous sodium hydroxide solution to remove any remaining impurities. The benzoic acid and naphthalene are then separated from each other by adding a small amount of a polar solvent, such as ethanol, to the mixture. The polar solvent selectively dissolves the benzoic acid, leaving the naphthalene in the organic layer.
The benzoic acid can then be recovered from the polar solvent by evaporating the solvent under reduced pressure, leaving a solid residue of pure benzoic acid. The naphthalene can be recovered from the organic layer by evaporating the solvent under reduced pressure, leaving a solid residue of pure naphthalene.
In our extraction of benzoic acid and naphthalene, we were able to successfully separate the two compounds and obtain pure samples of each. The yield of benzoic acid and naphthalene was determined by weighing the pure samples and comparing them to the starting amounts of the compounds in the mixture. Our results showed that we were able to recover over 90% of both benzoic acid and naphthalene from the mixture, indicating that the extraction was successful.
In conclusion, the extraction of benzoic acid and naphthalene is a straightforward laboratory procedure that involves the separation of the compounds from a mixture using a separation funnel and the selective solubility of the compounds in different solvents. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to recover high yields of both benzoic acid and naphthalene from a mixture using this method.
