Distillation of a Product from a Reaction (AQA A Level Chemistry) : Revision Note
Distillation of an Organic Product
REQUIRED PRACTICAL 5
Distillation of an organic product:
Distillation is a common practical completed in organic chemistry
For this course, the most common practical in which you will come across distillation and reflux apparatus is the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohol
This required practical gives you the opportunity to show that:
You can use an electric heating mantle rather than a Bunsen burner for heating
Use laboratory apparatus for a variety of experimental techniques and can set up glassware successfully
Safely and carefully handle different liquids, including those which are corrosive, irritant, flammable and toxic
The Distillation Process:
To produce an aldehyde from a primary alcohol the reaction mixture must be heated
The aldehyde product has a lower boiling point than the alcohol ( since it has lost the H-bonding) so it can be distilled off as soon as it forms

Heating under Distillation Apparatus
The reaction mixture needs to be heated until it boils using a heating mantle
Electric heating mantles are used for this because the temperature can be controlled, and because you are using chemicals which are flammable
Quickfit apparatus is then set up, including a pear shaped flask, a still head and a condenser
A Quickfit thermometer can be used, with the thermometer bulb sitting exactly where the vapours will pass into the condenser
A steady and constant stream of water passes through the condenser in a 'water jacket' - it enters at the bottom of the condenser and the drainage pipe removes the water from the top of the condenser
The distillate which forms in the condenser drips directly into a receiving vessel
The distillate which should be collected, is that which is given off at +/- 2 oC of the boiling point of the desired product
Some distillate may be given off below this temperature - this needs to be discarded and a clean vessel used to collect the desired product
Stop collecting the distillate if the temperature rises above +/- 2oC of the boiling point of the desired product
Preparation and Purification of Cyclohexene
In this experiment an alkene, cyclohexene, will be prepared by dehydration of an alcohol, cyclohexanol, using an acid catalyst such as phosphoric acid
C6H11OH C6H10 + H2O
This is one of the most common methods of preparing alkenes
The crude product is contaminated with water, unreacted alcohol, phosphoric acid and some side products
Treatment with a saturated solution of sodium hydrogen carbonate removes traces of acid and a final wash with water removes any remaining carbonate
Addition of solid calcium chloride will remove remaining water
The mechanism for the reaction is shown below - you do not need to know this, but you could be asked in a questions to draw in the relevant charges or lone pairs

Elimination mechanism for cyclohexanol
Preparation
Pour approximately 20 cm3 of cyclohexanol into a weighed 50 cm3 pear shaped flask
Slowly add 8 cm3 of concentrated phosphoric acid into the flask using a pipette
Add a few anti-bumping granules to the flask and assemble the distillation apparatus, so that the contents of the flask may be distilled
Heat the flask gently using an electric heater or water bath
Collect the distillate

Purification
Pour the distillate into a separating funnel and add 10 cm3 of sodium hydrogen carbonate solution, this will remove unreacted acid and acidic impurities in the organic liquid
Shake the funnel and allow the mixture to separate, release the pressure built up in the funnel
Carefully run off the lower aqueous layer and then transfer the upper layer which contains the crude cyclohexene into a conical flask
Add solid anhydrous calcium chloride to the crude cyclohexene to remove water
Stopper the flask, shake the contents and allow to stand
Once clear, transfer the liquid to a clean, dry beaker
A small portion of the distillate can be tested with bromine water to confirm if the product is an alkene
The colour change will be from orange brown to colourless

A separating funnel allows the product to be cleaned and isolated
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