Question

what type of distillation method would one use to separate the product Piceol (BP150) from trace amounts of starting material Phenyl acetate (BP196)? WHY?

What type of distillation to separate a 50/50 mixture? WHY?

Answer 1

Liquids evaporate at each temperature. However the maximum evaporation is at their boiling temperature. Boiling temperature difference between Piceol and phenyl acetate is 46^o C.

separation of piceol from the trace amounts of phenyl acetate can be done with normal distillation. Since boiling temperature difference is 46^oC and high boililng temperature liquid phenyl acetate.

For Separation of piceol from 50/50 piceol phenyl acetate mixture. We have to use fractional distillation. If you use normal distillation at 150^oC both piceol and phenyl acetate will be present in vapour phase however not 50/50 ratio. Piceol percent is more like 90%. Similarly we get mixture with 90% piceol 10% phenyl acetate the percentages I mentioned for example purpose only. Si we have to use fractional distillation to get pure piceol.