Cyclohexene (boiling point = 83 °C) can be prepared by the dehydration of cyclohexanol (boiling point = 161 °C) using concentrated phosphoric acid - AQA - A-Level Chemistry - Question 3 - 2018 - Paper 3
Question 3
Cyclohexene (boiling point = 83 °C) can be prepared by the dehydration of cyclohexanol (boiling point = 161 °C) using concentrated phosphoric acid.
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Worked Solution & Example Answer:Cyclohexene (boiling point = 83 °C) can be prepared by the dehydration of cyclohexanol (boiling point = 161 °C) using concentrated phosphoric acid - AQA - A-Level Chemistry - Question 3 - 2018 - Paper 3
Step 1
Calculate the percentage yield of cyclohexene.
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Answer
To find the percentage yield, we first need to determine the theoretical yield of cyclohexene.
Describe a test-tube reaction, on the product, to show that the cyclohexanol had been dehydrated. State what you would observe.
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To confirm the dehydration of cyclohexanol, we can perform a bromination test by adding bromine water to the cyclohexene.
Observation: The solution will turn from orange to colorless, indicating the presence of a double bond in cyclohexene due to its reaction with bromine.
Step 3
Suggest why sodium carbonate solution was used to wash the distillate.
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Sodium carbonate solution was used to wash the distillate to neutralize any residual acid, thus preventing unwanted reactions and improving the purity of the product.
Step 4
Explain why it is important to open the tap of the separating funnel periodically.
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Opening the tap periodically is crucial to release any built-up pressure from gases produced, which prevents potential explosions and allows for safe separation of the layers.
Step 5
Give a property of anhydrous calcium chloride, other than its ability to absorb water, that makes it suitable as a drying agent in this preparation.
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Anhydrous calcium chloride is hygroscopic, meaning it has a high affinity for water, allowing it to effectively remove moisture from the organic product.
Step 6
Describe the apparatus used to remove the drying agent by filtration under reduced pressure.
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The apparatus consists of a round-bottomed flask connected to a vacuum source, and a Buchner funnel with filter paper placed inside it. The mixture containing the drying agent is poured into the funnel while the vacuum is applied to draw the liquid through the filter paper, leaving the solid drying agent behind.
Step 7
Explain why cyclohexene has a shorter retention time than cyclohexanol.
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Cyclohexene has a shorter retention time than cyclohexanol because it is less polar and has a lower boiling point, leading to faster elution through the stationary phase in chromatography.
Step 8
Explain how an infrared spectrum would confirm that the cyclohexene obtained from the chromatography did not contain any cyclohexanol.
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An infrared spectrum of cyclohexene would show the absence of the broad O-H stretching absorption peak typically found in alcohols like cyclohexanol. The presence of the C=C bond in cyclohexene would be confirmed by the appearance of characteristic peaks in the fingerprint region that do not correspond to cyclohexanol.