Chemistry Lab Report

Jimmy, Jason, and Michael

2<V January 25-30,2013

Preparation and Purification of Ethyl Acetate

Purpose:

The purpose of this lab is to obtain a sample of ethyl acetate (ethyl ethanoate) by

mixing and distilling samples of ethanol and acetic acid with sulfuric acid as a catalyst.

Procedure:

1. Prepared an apparatus similar to the one shown in Figure 1.

2. Measured out and mixed 10.2 mL of ethanol and 11.8 mL of acetic acid in a

125-mL Erlenmeyer flask.

3. Added 15 drops of sulfuric acid and 2 boiling stones.

4. Heated the mixture in a hot water bath.

\f 5. Too much heat was added to the hot water bath, and the container with the

water broke and spilled.

6. Cleaned water spillage and neutralized ethyl acetate with Na C0 .

2 3

7. Re-measured 9.0 mL of ethanol and 12.0 mL of acetic acid in a 125-mL

Erlenmeyer flask.

8. Repeated steps 3 and 4.

9. Waited 15 minutes after the boiling of the solution, and then poured the

contents of the Erlenmeyer flask into the distilling flask in Figure 1.

10. Turned the cold water (which was connected to the condenser) on.

11. Heated the distilling flask with the Bunsen burner at a controlled temperature

of about 80 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes until it stopped vaporizing.

12. Prepared a solution of 1.5 g Na CQ and 5.0 mL of distilled water and shook
2 3

well.

13. Poured liquid solution into a separatory funnel and added the distillate from

the distilling flask.

 Chemistry Lab Report
Jimmy, Jason, and Michael
January 25-30,2013
14. Added a stopper and shook gently back and forth.

15. Emptied separatory funnel and weighed ethyl acetate.

Figure 1

Calculations:

Beaker with Ethyl Acetate (239.9 g.) - Empty Beaker (228.6 g.) = Amount of Ethyl
Acetate (11.3 g.)

Chemical Formula of Experiment: C H 0 + C H O --> C H 0 +H 0

2 4 2 2 e 4 8 2 2

Ethanol (C H 0) is limiting reactant with .15 moles.

2 6

Theoretical Yield: .15 mol. x 88.12 g./mol. C H 0 = 13.22 g. of C H 0

4 8 2 4 8 2

Percent Error

11.3 g. C H 0 / 13.22 g. C H 0 = 14.52% Error

4 8 2 4 8 2

Conclusion

Overall our lab went accident free except for the beaker of water breaking at the

beginning. We restarted the lab afterwards and everything seemed to be working fine.

All of our pipes and hosing were tight, and we did not have any leaks that were evident.

We did have to wait a day to separate the solution which then had precipitates form and

we think that letting it sit might have thrown off how much Ethyl Acetate we actually

produced which is what made our percent error a little larger.

Data:

Part I :

Name of
Ethanol Sulfuric Acid Acetic Acid
Compound

Amount of 12 mL
9.0 mL 15 drops
Compound

Part I I :

Substance Purified Ethyl Acetate with Sulfuric Acid

Evaporation Temperature 62.4° C

Temperature Compound Stopped

84.8°C
Vaporizing

Observations: Heated flask for 15 minutes not exceeding 85°C. Compounds, after
being combined, smelled like nail polish remover.

Part I I I :

Compound Ethyl Acetate

Weight of Beaker Before Adding Ethyl :

! 228.6g
Acetate

Weight of Beaker After Adding Ethyl

239.9g
Acetate

Observations: Smelled like nail polish remover. The total weight of the Ethyl Acetate
was 11.3g. , H