You are trying to recrystallize compound X. You consider using ethyl acetate as your recrystallizing solvent and test a small amount of compound X with ethyl acetate. You find that compound X is soluble in ethyl acetate at room temperature and at boiling. Is ethyl acetate a good recrystallization solvent? No, the sample needs to be insoluble or sparingly soluble at room temperature so that the maximum amount of purified crystals form at room temperature and in the ice bath. Yes, you want the sample to fully dissolve at room temperature and boiling so that it will crystallize in the ice bath. Yes, you can only be sure that all the impurities dissolved if the sample is soluble at room temperature

Question

Chemistry

Nadia Farley

11 August, 00:57

You are trying to recrystallize compound X. You consider using ethyl acetate as your recrystallizing solvent and test a small amount of compound X with ethyl acetate. You find that compound X is soluble in ethyl acetate at room temperature and at boiling. Is ethyl acetate a good recrystallization solvent? No, the sample needs to be insoluble or sparingly soluble at room temperature so that the maximum amount of purified crystals form at room temperature and in the ice bath. Yes, you want the sample to fully dissolve at room temperature and boiling so that it will crystallize in the ice bath. Yes, you can only be sure that all the impurities dissolved if the sample is soluble at room temperature

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Answers (1)

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Mason Padilla · Answer 1

No, the sample needs to be insoluble or sparingly soluble at room temperature so that the maximum amount of purified crystals form at room temperature and in the ice bath.

Explanation:

For a solvent to be adequate it must completely dissolve the substance to be purified when it is hot, that is, at boiling temperature only. It should be practically insoluble when the solvent is cold or at room temperature. This must occur in this way since impurities must be removed by hot filtering or dissolved in the mother liquor.