Question

Describe the properties that make ethanol a good recrystalization solvent for acetanilide and urea.

Answer 1

Characteristics of a Good Recrystallization Solvent: are as follows

1. The recrystallization solvent should NOT dissolve the substance to be purified at room temperature, but it should dissolve it well at the solvent’s boiling point

2. The solvent should dissolve soluble impurities well at room temperature.

3. The solvent should not dissolve insoluble impurities even at the solvent’s boiling point. These insoluble impurities can then be removed by gravity filtration.

4. The solvent must not react with the substance to be purified.

5. The solvent should be volatile.

6. The solvent should be inexpensive.

all these criterias are satisfied by ethanolfor the two substances, so they are good recr. solvent