Question

A. Why does the Citral (boiling point 235 degrees C) distilled around 100 degrees C during stem distillation?

B. What is the simple and accurate way, other than density, to distinguish the organic phase from the aqueous phase?

Answer 1

A. Because Many organic compounds tend to decompose at high sustained temperatures. Separation by distillation at the normal (1 atmosphere) boiling points is not an option, so steam distillation is used at lower temperature than boiling point of compound.

Citral get distilled at 100 degrees because that is the temperature at which water reached it boiling point and make steam. And Citral is distilled using this steam distillation.

B. Other than density, simple way of distinguishing aqueus phase from organic phase is adding a drop of layer to anhydrous copper sulphate, The aqueous layer will turn the white powder blue, whereas the organic layer should have no effect.

Answer, hope this helps you.