In: Chemistry
Choosing the proper solvent for recrystallization of aldol product.
Take a small amunt of compound is a test tube. Add some ethanol to it. If compound dissolves, this is not a good solvent. If it remains insoluble, heat on a flame and see If the compound dissolves. If the compound is soluble in ethanol at high temperature this is proper solvent for recrystallization. If however it remains insoluble even after heating and adding some more sokvent, this is not a good solvent.
Take another test tube with a small amount of aldol product, add toluene and repeat the procedure. Add a small amount of hexane to induce crystallization. If however the compound is found to be totally insoluble or is very soluble at room temperature in toluene then discard this as a solvent for recrystallization.
Another solvent we can test is a mixture of 9 : 1 = ethanol : acetone. check solublity of compound in a similar way as decribed earlier for ethanol and choose the proper sokvent for recrystallization.