Question

In a Diels Alder Reaction, if you had a mixture of the anhydride and the diacid and you were going to use either aqueous acid or aqueous base to separate the 2 compounds, which aqueous solution would you use and why?

Answer 1

i will use the aqueous bicarbonate solution (10% NaHCO3) why?

suppose you have a mixture in organic solvent one is nuetral (anhydride) another one is acid

to this organic layer add the 10% aq NaHCO3 solution all the acid will form the corresponding sodium salt and will dissolve in aqueous layer

separate the aqueous layer using separating funnel

take the aqueous layer add aq HCl and filter the precipitate yhis precipitate is acid

now comming to the organic layer eveparate the organic layer using rotary eveparator the remaining compound is organic compound

in this way we can separate the both the layers