Question

to extract a solution contains 2-naphthol, and benzoic acid. what happens if NaOH is added first, then NaHCO3?

Answer 1

if you add the NaOH first

both 2-naphthol, and benzoic acid will form the corresponding sodium salt and will come in to the water layer

so you cannot separate the these two with NaOH

where as if you add first NaHCO3 week base only benzoic acid will form the corresponding sodium salt and will come to the water layer and 2-naphthol is in the organic layer

necause phenol is week base and 2-napthol is week acid so 2-naphthol will not soluble in NaHCO3

with this point we can separate both