Question

Using active extraction and the appropriate techniques, explain how a non-polar amine compound (mp=104-106 degrees) would be purified from a micture containing sand and toluene (you may use a flowchart)

Answer 1

Solution :-

Tolune and non polar amine are both compounds are non polar and the mixture also contains sand.

So first we need to add non polar solvent like hexane or CCl4 so that the non polar compounds get dissolved in the non polar solvent and sand remain as it is. Then we can filter the mixture so that we can separate the sand and then wash it will small position of the solvent and allow the sand to dry.

Then filtrate which contains both tolune and non polar amine compound should be treated with aqueous HCl solution. This will cause the amine to get protonated and become soluble in water while the tolune will still remain in the organic layer.

Then we can separate the both layers and treat aqueous layer with base so that the amine is reformed and separated out.

The organic layer containing the tolune can be heated to evaporate the solvent which will leave behind the tolune.

Following is the flow chart for the process