Question

Any sources of error will happen in the lab of fractional distillation and elimination reaction? I do not have much information to provide with. In this lab, 2-methyl-2-butanol reacted with H2SO4 and 2-chloro-2-methylbutane reacted with KOH (1-propanol).

Please explain the sources of error and way to improve.

Answer 1

Following errors are possible:

1) Initially, we dry the glassware to remove water droplets from the starting material by using a compressed air, due to which some foreign impurities could be added inside the glassware.

2) During the fractional distillation product obtained when the foil present in condenser get off for checking of the distillation progress, then the distillation get stopped.

3) A Human error can be happened, beacuse when the raectant was weighed on the balance, it (balance) has more weight i.e. weight of RBF also added.