The purpose of this experiment is to determine the product that is produced from sodium hypochlorite oxidizing 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol and this experiment is to also determine if sodium hypochlorite is a selective oxidizing agent. This reaction is an oxidation reaction. The reaction involves the removal hydrogens and sometimes the addition of oxygen. 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol will undergo an oxidation reaction to produce an unknown product (Scheme 1). (1)
Scheme 1. 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol undergoes a reaction with sodium hypochlorite and glacial acetic acid to produce an unknown product.
There are three possible outcomes when 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol undergoes the oxidation reaction (Scheme 2, Scheme 3, and Scheme 4). (2)
Scheme 2. The first possible product when 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol undergoes oxidation reaction. (3)
Scheme 3. The second possible product when 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol undergoes oxidation reaction. (4)
Scheme 4. The third possible product when 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol undergoes oxidation reaction. …show more content…
The test was determined complete when sample of the reaction mixture was repeatedly added to the potassium iodide starch test. Once the paper no longer turns blue-black the reaction is considered complete. Potassium iodide starch test paper is a paper strip use to determine if excess sodium hypochlorite remains in the flask. A diethyl extraction was used to remove the lower aqueous layer of the product after the potassium iodide starch test. This removes unreacted diol and leftover acids. Later an aqueous extraction method is using to remove the organic ether layer, therefor leaving the unknown organic product behind in the test tube. Magnesium sulfate will dry out any organic layer, so an oily product will remain in the test tube. The method uses to identify the product and the reactant is the liquid reflectance infrared