Question

why was 1-phenylethanol lower than acetophenone on the TLC? we used 2:1 ch2cl2 and hexane

Answer 1

NOTE: you are clearly using not so strong components for polarity, i..e hexane is nonpolar and CH2CL2 is slightly polar

The silica gel is trypically used, it is pretty polar

so we have a change in dipoles ...

1-phenylethanol --> R-OH

acetophenone --> R-C=O

clearly, the OH group is much more polar, and it also has H-bonds between units

so the expected value, is that the 1-phenylethanol --> R-OH; attaches to the silic age (like interact like, so polar interact with polar)

the

acetophenone --> R-C=O is slightly less polar, it will interac tmuch more with the nonpolar hexane solvent