Can an impure sample of citronellal be purified by recrystallization? Justify your answer for full credit.
Pure citronellal is a colourless oily liquid. It has a refreshing odour ,reminiscent of lemon balm.
It is an aldehyde. It forms addition product with sodium bisulphate . So impure citronellal can be purified by treatment with sodium bisulphate . A precipitate will form , which was filtered and washed with hexane to remove all the organic impurities. Then redissolve the precipitate in aqueous Na2CO3( sodium carbonate). The oil obtained was separated and analysed through GC-MS. If the purity is not achieved , again do reprecipitation by making the bisulphate derivate and purify as discussed above.
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