The following list of steps refers to an experimental plan for making an ester in a flask - HSC - SSCE Chemistry - Question 9 - 2002 - Paper 1
Question 9
The following list of steps refers to an experimental plan for making an ester in a flask. Some of the steps in the list may NOT be required for this experiment. The... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The following list of steps refers to an experimental plan for making an ester in a flask - HSC - SSCE Chemistry - Question 9 - 2002 - Paper 1
Step 1
Add 1 mL of ethanoic acid.
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The first step involves adding 1 mL of ethanoic acid to initiate the reaction.
Step 2
Add 1 mL of ethanol.
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Next, 1 mL of ethanol is added, which reacts with the ethanoic acid to form the ester.
Step 3
Add three drops of concentrated sulfuric acid.
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Then, add three drops of concentrated sulfuric acid, which acts as a catalyst to speed up the reaction.
Step 4
Heat the mixture under reflux.
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The mixture needs to be heated under reflux to facilitate the formation of the ester.
Step 5
Distil the mixture.
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After sufficient reaction time, the mixture is distilled to separate the ester from unreacted materials.
Step 6
Add three drops of phenolphthalein indicator.
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Finally, three drops of phenolphthalein indicator can be added to verify the completion of the reaction, though this step may not be essential for the ester formation.
