Panacetin Lab
Separating the Components of “Panacetin”
Extraction and Evaporation
&
Identifying a Constituent of “Panacetin”
Recrystallization& Melting-Point Measurement
Organic Chemistry Lab
Introduction:
Panacetin purportedly includes sucrose, aspirin, and acetaminophen. However, the accuracy of Panacetin’s contents has been called into question by the Association for Safe Pharmaceuticals. Therefore, the lab must discover the accuracy of the ingredients listed on Panacetin’s label.
The unknown in this experiment is presumed to be something similar to acetaminophen, such as acetanilide or phenacetin. Recrystallization and melting point temperature were used to help identify the unknown in Panacetin. Recrystallization removes impurities as a substance goes through physical transformations from a solid to a liquid and back to a solid. As the solid reforms as a crystalline structure, it does so without incorporate any impurities that may have been present in the initial substance. Pure substances have specific melting points that can assist in identification. However, if the substance is not pure, the melting point will be lower than expected. The substance will also have a wider melting point range.
To separate the sucrose the lab needed to use ~2.95 grams of Panacetin and 50 mL of dichloromethane. This mixture was then used extract the sucrose via gravity filtration. To separate the aspirin, the lab used two separate portions of sodium bicarbonate. Two different liquid layers formed, one with an aqueous solution and the other with the organic dichloromethane. The aqueous solution was then separated into one container and the dichloromethane solution into another. The lab then added HCl to the aqueous solution until it was acidic, reaching a pH ≤ 2. The aqueous solution was then cooled and the aspirin precipitate was separated. To isolate the unknown, the lab heated the dichloromethane
Extraction and Evaporation
&
Identifying a Constituent of “Panacetin”
Recrystallization& Melting-Point Measurement
Organic Chemistry Lab
Introduction:
Panacetin purportedly includes sucrose, aspirin, and acetaminophen. However, the accuracy of Panacetin’s contents has been called into question by the Association for Safe Pharmaceuticals. Therefore, the lab must discover the accuracy of the ingredients listed on Panacetin’s label.
The unknown in this experiment is presumed to be something similar to acetaminophen, such as acetanilide or phenacetin. Recrystallization and melting point temperature were used to help identify the unknown in Panacetin. Recrystallization removes impurities as a substance goes through physical transformations from a solid to a liquid and back to a solid. As the solid reforms as a crystalline structure, it does so without incorporate any impurities that may have been present in the initial substance. Pure substances have specific melting points that can assist in identification. However, if the substance is not pure, the melting point will be lower than expected. The substance will also have a wider melting point range.
To separate the sucrose the lab needed to use ~2.95 grams of Panacetin and 50 mL of dichloromethane. This mixture was then used extract the sucrose via gravity filtration. To separate the aspirin, the lab used two separate portions of sodium bicarbonate. Two different liquid layers formed, one with an aqueous solution and the other with the organic dichloromethane. The aqueous solution was then separated into one container and the dichloromethane solution into another. The lab then added HCl to the aqueous solution until it was acidic, reaching a pH ≤ 2. The aqueous solution was then cooled and the aspirin precipitate was separated. To isolate the unknown, the lab heated the dichloromethane