Home >
Community >
How do you separate organic and inorganic compounds from a mixture?
Upvote
16
Downvote
+ Inorganic chemistry
+ Organic compounds
+ Chemistry
+ Organic chemistry
Posted by
Matthew Dubeau
How do you separate organic and inorganic compounds from a mixture?
For a first pass, I would take the whole mixture up in water and extract with methylene chloride. The separate the layers. The methylene chloride layer will have mainly the organic material and the water, mainly the inorganic material.
However, some organics will be water soluble. For example, salts of acids or bases will be water soluble so you will need to make the water first acidic and extract with methylene chloride (this will remove the organic acids) and then make the water layer basic and extract with methylene chloride (this will get the bases).
For a first pass, I would take the whole mixture up in water and extract with methylene chloride. The separate the layers. The methylene chloride layer will have mainly the organic material and the water, mainly the inorganic material.
However, some organics will be water soluble. For example, salts of acids or bases will be water soluble so you will need to make the water first acidic and extract with methylene chloride (this will remove the organic acids) and then make the water layer basic and extract with methylene chloride (this will get the bases).
How do you separate organic and inorganic compounds from a mixture?
You start by understanding any difference in properties of the compounds. Typically you would look at things like solubility, ability to crystalize, whether or not acids or bases might be useful in a separation. These and dozens of other techniques might be relevant.
It all starts from understanding the compounds in question. If you don't start from there, any result is a matter of luck.
How do you separate organic and inorganic compounds from a mixture?
You start by understanding any difference in properties of the compounds. Typically you would look at things like solubility, ability to crystalize, whether or not acids or bases might be useful in a separation. These and dozens of other techniques might be relevant.
It all starts from understanding the compounds in question. If you don't start from there, any result is a matter of luck.
For a first pass, I would take the whole mixture up in water and extract with methylene chloride. The separate the layers. The methylene chloride layer will have mainly the organic material and the water, mainly the inorganic material.
However, some organics will be water soluble. For example, salts of acids or bases will be water soluble so you will need to make the water first acidic and extract with methylene chloride (this will remove the organic acids) and then make the water layer basic and extract with methylene chloride (this will get the bases).
For a first pass, I would take the whole mixture up in water and extract with methylene chloride. The separate the layers. The methylene chloride layer will have mainly the organic material and the water, mainly the inorganic material.
However, some organics will be water soluble. For example, salts of acids or bases will be water soluble so you will need to make the water first acidic and extract with methylene chloride (this will remove the organic acids) and then make the water layer basic and extract with methylene chloride (this will get the bases).
More
VOTE
How do you separate organic and inorganic compounds from a mixture?
You start by understanding any difference in properties of the compounds. Typically you would look at things like solubility, ability to crystalize, whether or not acids or bases might be useful in a separation. These and dozens of other techniques might be relevant.
It all starts from understanding the compounds in question. If you don't start from there, any result is a matter of luck.
How do you separate organic and inorganic compounds from a mixture?
You start by understanding any difference in properties of the compounds. Typically you would look at things like solubility, ability to crystalize, whether or not acids or bases might be useful in a separation. These and dozens of other techniques might be relevant.
It all starts from understanding the compounds in question. If you don't start from there, any result is a matter of luck.
More
VOTE