Some easy problems -2
Chemistry
Level
3
In order to extract isobutyric acid from a solution of diethyl ether, one should wash the solution with:
One 30 mL wash of hexane
Three 10 mL washes of hexane
One 30 mL wash of water
Three 10 mL washes of water
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1 solution
Isobutyric acid has a carboxylic acid group, which is polar, and can readily hydrogen bond. It can be extracted from the organic solvent diethyl ether by washing with a polar solution like water. Multiple small volume washes extract better than one large volume wash. Use of a second organic solvent, hexane, will not extract the isobutyric acid from the diethyl ether.
A. One 30 mL wash of water, incorrect. Multiple smaller volume washes will yield higher extraction results.
B. Three 10 mL washes of water, correct. Isobutyric acid will enter the aqueous layer and wash off of the organic layer of diethyl ether.
C. One 30 mL wash of hexane, incorrect. Hexane is another organic solvent like diethyl ether.
D. Three 10 mL washes of hexane, incorrect. See C.