Question

Find limiting reagent for the nitration of methyl benzoate?

Sulfuric Acid=3ml MolarMass=98.079

Nitric Acid-0.8ml Molar Mass=63.01

Methyl Benzoat=0.47g or 0.425 ml Molar Mass=136.15 and Molar mass of m-nitrobenzoate=181.14

How do I calculate the limiting reagent?

Answer 1

nitration of MBenzoate:

initially we need

MBenzoate + Nitrate --> products...

ratio must be 1:1 if this is a single nitration

so...

we will need molar weight of methyl benzoate = 136.15 g/mol

mol of methyl benzoate --> Mass/MW = 0.47/136.15 = 0.003452 mol of Methyl Benzoate

sine no density/concentration of nitric acid is added, assume this is in excess, since clearly the nitric acid is much more light than the methyl benzoate ad the ratio in volume is:

0.425 mL vs. 0.800 mL, therefore, it is most likely in excess

so.

Methyl Benzoate is clearly limiting the reaction