NAME SIMNIKIWE
SURNAME MVUSI
STUDENT NUMBER 202124334
COURSE PAC 213 (PRACTICAL REPORT 3)
DATE 18 APRIL 2024
TITLE:
Synthesis of Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic acid)
THEORY:
The medication known as aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, is created when salicylic acid and
acetic anhydride combine. The medication is used to treat patients with cardiac ailments in
addition to having a known therapeutic effect on headaches, inflammation, and other pain-
related problems. Salicylates have the ability to reduce body temperature but have minimal
effect on normal body temperature because they are antipyretics.
It was discovered that the pure aspirin crystals had a melting point between 133 and 134 °C.
Aspirin's crude crystals had a melting point of 122-123 °C (https://central.edu/). The most
widely used salicylate in medicine is aspirin. The following illustrates how aspirin is made
using salicylic acid and acetic anhydride:
MATERIALS AND METHOD:
Salicylic acid of 3 g was weighed on a balance scale and placed into a 125 ml Erlenmeyer
flask. Acetic anhydride of 6 ml was added carefully and stirred constantly, followed by 10
drops of concentrated Sulphuric acid (H2SO4). The contents of the flask were mixed
thoroughly, then heated in a steam bath for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, the flask was
removed carefully and immediately, 5 ml of ice water was poured into the flask. After, 35 ml
of water was added into the flask and chilled in an ice bath. With the use of a stirring rod,
lamps that formed in the flask were broken down. Then the product was filtered using a
vacuum filtration and a small Buchner funnel lined with a filtration paper. The product was
rinsed with 15 ml of ice water then air was drawn through several times. The solid product
was transferred onto a filtration paper and allowed to dry thoroughly for 24 hours. The weight
of the product was measured to determine its yield. Then its melting point was determined,
and results recorded.
RESULTS:
Mass of product = 5.3492 g
Melting point = 95 ℃
Melting range = 95 – 130 ℃
Reagent Molecular weight Grams (mass) Moles (mol)
(g/mol)
Salicylic acid 138.121 3.002 0.022
Acetic anhydride 102.09 6.492 0.064
Salicylic acid
Mw = 138.12 g/ mol
n = m/ Mw
n = 3.002 g / 138.121 g/mol
= 0.022 mol
Acetic anhydride
V = 6 ml
Mw = 102.09 g/mol
ρ = 1.082 g/ml
m=ρ×v
m = 1.082 g/ml × 6 ml
m = 6.492 g
n = m / Mw
n = 6.492 g/ 102.09 g/mol
n = 0.064 mol
C4H6O3 + C7H6O3 = C9H8O4 + C2H4O2
1 (C7H6O3) : 1 (C9H8O4)
0.064 : X
X = 0.064 mol of Aspirin
Aspirin
Mw = 180.158 g/mol
n = m / Mw
m = n × Mw
m = 0.064 mol × 180.158 g/ mol
m = 11.53 g (Theoretical yield)
Percentage yield = (Actual yield) / (Theoretical yield) × 100%
= (5.3492 g) / (11.53 g) × 100%
= 46.39 %
Questions
1. The aspirin would not be effective for intended purpose and may cause harm in
individuals who consume it.
2. Mw = 138.12 g/ mol
n = m/ Mw
n = 2.00 g / 138.121 g/mol
= 0.014 mol
Percentage yield = (Actual yield) / (Theoretical yield) × 100 %
= (2.10 g) / (2.61 g) × 100 %
= 80.1 %
DISCUSSION
As a result of their reaction, which releases carbon dioxide, fizzing was seen in the
experiment when acetic anhydride was added to salicylic acid (Sharmab and Utreja, 2023).
Ten drops of sulphuric acid were cautiously added to the mixture. In this reaction, the sulfuric
acid serves as a catalyst. Additionally, a temperature increase in the mixture was seen with
the addition of sulfuric acid. For fifteen minutes, the mixture was submerged in a steam bath.
This is to enable salicylic acid and acetic anhydride to react in the presence of sulfuric acid, a
catalyst. There was a color shift in the liquid combination. Five milliliters of ice water were
added to the hot liquid after the fifteen minutes had passed in order to hydrolyze the extra
acetic anhydride. The flask was placed in an ice bath to aid in the production of the product
following the addition of 35 milliliters of water to the solution. Since aspirin dissolves better
in hot than in cold water, using ice to cool the combination will help the aspirin crystallize as
much as possible (https://homework.study.com).
The product's mass and boiling point were measured and noted after it had been vacuum-
packed and dried.
CONCLUSION
Using sulfuric acid as a catalyst, acetic anhydride and salicylic acid were converted to
acetylsalicylic acid.
REFERENCES:
1. Pittman, Q.J., Veale, W.L. and Cooper, K.E., 1976. Observations on the effect of salicylate in fever and
the regulation of body temperature against cold. Canadian Journal of Physiology and
Pharmacology, 54(2), pp.101-106.
2. HUSAIN, A., 2021. EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACEUTICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY (Vol. 1).
DARSHAN PUBLISHERS.
3. Tyagi, B., Mishra, M.K. and Jasra, R.V., 2010. Solvent free synthesis of acetyl salicylic acid over nano-
crystalline sulfated zirconia solid acid catalyst. Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical, 317(1-2),
pp.41-45.
