Question

Below is a list of purification methods.  Assume you have unreacted camphor after your reduction reaction.  Explain if the methods belowcould be used to separate the products. If the technique cannot be used to separate the products, briefly explain why.

a. Fractional Distillation

b. Column Chromatography

c. Recrystallization

d. Extractions

Answer 1

answer is b. Column Chromatography

first of all both compounds are solids so no point of talking about the a. Fractional Distillation

in this reaction ketone is reduced to alcohol

ketones will have less polar than alcohols

if you run both compunds in TLC both will get nicely separate because of difference in polarity

so column chromatography is best way to separate the reactent and the product

since both are solide recrystalization also difficulr.

if the moxture is acid base or acid nuetral or base nuetral these kind of compounds only possible to separate

but here both camphor and reduced camphor both are nuetral so this amy thid is also not possible.