LAB #1 – RECRYSTALLIZATION
Purpose - Recrystallization of impure acetanilide from the water and to illustrate
the efficiency of the process by finding the melting point of crude sample and pure
product prior and after recrystallization.
Procedure – 2.0 grams mixture of Acetanilide and 35 mL distilled water is taken
in a flask which is connected to reflux condenser in the fume hood until the solid
gets dissolved completely, Erlenmeyer flask and glass funnel is heated in the oven
at the same time. When reflux is completed the hot solution is filled in the hot
Erlenmeyer flask using the hot funnel. On cooling the flask in the ice bath crystals
will form then they are connected to the aspirator for vacuum filtration. The
crystals are transferred into vial.
For complete method details please refer to Introductory Organic Chemistry Lab
Manual (ORGN-1131); Durham College; experiment 1 pages 6-12.
Structure -
Acetanilide – C8H9NO
Observation and Data –
Initially, at room temperature Acetanilide is insoluble in water but on increasing
the temperature it gets dissolved. The acetanilide with water is heated in the mantel
until all solid particles gets dissolved. On cooling the solution starts forming
crystals which was observed by stirring it with glass rod in the ice bath. These
crystals were separated using a vacuum filtration process. All the crystals were
collected in the funnel and stored in a vial.
Discussion –
Acetanilide is insoluble in water at room temperature but it gets dissolved on
increasing temperature. Acetanilide is taken in a round-bottomed flask and
connected with the reflux condenser for heating the solution. The solution is than
filtered using hot funnel and Erlenmeyer flask. The melting point of impure
acetanilide is around 113 C with range of 113-118 C. Using the vacuum filtration
process the crystals are separated from the solution and the crystals are collected
and stored in funnel. Water is the good solvent for the re-crystallization of
acetanilide because on heating water acetanilide gets soluble in it and as the
solution cools down the crystals are formed, Sugar is not soluble at low
temperature and just because of this property water is the good solvent for re-
crystallization. And if charcoal and sugar are the only two impurities in the sample
of crude acetanilide then charcoal being insoluble can be easily removed by
heating the mixture and sugar is insoluble at low temperature so once the mixture
cools down it will crystallize and then can be separated from the water. Vacuum
filtration process is used because it gives the dried product and utilizes less time in
comparison to the ordinary gravity filtration. Moreover, the dried powdered sample
obtained is packed tightly in the melting point tube so that the heat can be
transferred throughout the sample and to have contact with the walls of capillary
tube. And it is advised to increase the temperature slowly and steadily once you are
near to the melting point so that you get better result and readings. Make sure that
you do not take too much amount of the sample while determining melting point
and the reason is that the more amounts you take the more higher temperature will
be required to melt it, so this can lead to give wrong melting point.
Crude Acetanilide weight – 2.06 g
Weight of filter paper – 0.2150 g
Weight of container – 11.0677 g
Weight of sample + filter paper + container = 12.2 g
Weight of purified product = weight of sample with container and filter paper –
weight of container and filter
= 12.02 g – 11.28 g
= 0.74 g
wieght of purified sample
Percentage recovered = weight of crude sample x 100
0.7 4 g
= 2.06 g x 100
= 35.92 %
Conclusion –
Recrystallization is an important technique through which we obtained pure
product from the mixture. Nearly 35.92% of acetanilide was obtained back as
crystals.
References –
Quizlet. (n.d.). Melting point flashcard. Retrieved from
[Link]
q=why+it+is+necessary+to+pack+the+sample+of+acetanilide+tightly+in+the+mel
ting+point+tube&rlz=1C1CHZL_enCA685CA689&oq=w
Stathopoulus, D; Introductory Organic Chemistry Lab Manual (ORGN-1131);
Durham College; experiment 1 pages 6-12.
