Vacuum Distillation and Aldol Condensation -- Hand Cream

February 7, 2003

Terese Marie Nuñez
Rachel Sierra
Hugo Tapia

Materials Needed:

 

-         Steam Distillation Kit

-         Thermometer

-         Thermowell heater

-         25 mL round bottom flask

-         50 mL round bottom flask (receiver)

-         125 mL Erlenmeyer flask

-         Büchner funnel

-         Aspirator

-         500 mL Suction flask

-         1 Filter paper

-         1 Boiling chip

-         15 mL Benzaldehyde

-         .4 g sodium hydroxide (2 pellets)

-         2 mL 95% ethanol

-         10 mL 95% ethanol (chilled)

-         .3 mL acetone

 

Procedure:

 

-         Arranged Steam Distillation Kit with 50 mL round bottom flask as the receiver.

-         Mixed 15 mL of benzaldehyde and 1 boiling chip in a 25 mL round bottom flask.

-         Began Distillation.

-         Temperature rose to 210°C when distillation ended.

-         After it cooled, we collected about .8 g of distilled Benzaldehyde and mixed it with .3 mL of acetone, .4 g of sodium hydroxide (2 pellets) and 2 mL of 95% ethanol in a 125 mL Erlenmeyer flask.

-         Swirled for about 15 minutes until solution become yellow and mushy.

-         Chilled 10 mL of 95% ethanol.

-         Assembled aspirator with 500 mL suction flask.

-         Condensation began.

-         Put filter paper in the Büchner funnel and poured water over it to make sure the vacuum was working properly.

-         After that, poured yellow, mushy solution over the filter paper and let it set for a couple of seconds.

-         Then we took the chilled 10 mL of 95% ethanol and distributed evenly on top of the filter paper.

-         Waited a couple of more seconds until solution made crystals.

-         After condensation, we scraped the yellow crystals off of the filter paper and placed them on a glass plate.

-         Ready for weighing next week.

 

Observations:

 

-         While distilling, solution gave off an almond aroma.

-         Temperature rose to 210°C when distillation ended.

-         The mixture of the acetone, ethanol, sodium hydroxide, and distilled benzaldehyde became yellow and mushy.

-         After everything was poured over the filter paper, the remainder (the bottom of the suction flask) appeared foggy.

-         The rest of the solution on top of the filter paper took the form of yellow crystals.