a. If you were to have a mixture of benzoic acid and 2-naphthol (both two acidic components and neither neutral component), which one (or maybe both, or neither) would be extracted into flask 1 (sodium bicarbonate), and which into flask 2 (sodium hydroxide)? Explain briefly why.
b. If you were to have a mixture of benzoic acid and 2-naphthol (the two acidic components and neither neutral component) and perform the extractions using the bases in the wrong order, which one (or maybe both, or neither) would be extracted into flask 1 (sodium hydroxide), and which into flask 2 (sodium bicarbonate)? Explain briefly why.
Phenol is a weak acid, thus in order to react with phenol, a strong base like NaOH is essential. At the same time carboxylic acids are relatively stronger and they can react with NaHCO3.
Flask 1 contains Carboxylic acid (NaHCO3 extraction)
Flask 2 contains Phenol (NaOH extraction).
b. If we are doing in the reverse order, NaOH will react with both the carboxylic acid and phenol. Thus, in flask 1, both Carboxylic acid and phenol will come. Flask 2 won't be having any compound.
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