Question

Experiment ( preparation of tert-butyl chloride )

1- what is the purpose of washing tert-butyl chloride with saturated NaCl solution

2- describe a way to distinguish between an aqueous layer and an organic layer in separatory funnel.

Answer 1

1. Tert-butyl chloride is prepared from tert-butanol and HCl, after reaction completion the inorganic impurity are removed by washing with water in repeating funnel. The seprating funnel will have two layers one is organic layer and other is aqueous layer. The purpose of adding aqueous sodium chloride is to remove the water from wet organic layer, the role of sodium chloride is drying agent.

2. In organic layer purified compound will be there

In aqueous layer inorganic byproduct and impurity will be available.

Mostly aqueous layer is more denser than organic layer therefore it will be at bottom of the seprating funnel

Organic layer is less denser than aqueous layer therefore it will be at top of the seprating funnel

Organic compounds are mostly insoluble in water therefore it will be organic layer

Inorganic byproduct and inorganic impurity are highly soluble in water therefore it will be in aqueous layer.