As you look over the equations at the beginning of the laboratory experiment, you will
notice that the sulfuric acid does not appear in any of them. What role does sulfuric acid play
in this synthesis
reaction? Would the reaction happen without the acid?
Can some substance other than sulfuric acid be substituted in the reaction? Explain.
Explain why the crystals formed mostly when the test tube was in the ice bath, and not
before.
Why did you add hot water to the crystals, and then cool the mixture? Were the new crystals
the same substance as the old ones? (Hint: remember that this procedure occurred under the
heading, Purification. What else could be in the test tube to
make your product impure?)
From the mass of salicylic acid you used in your experiment, calculate the maximum amount of
acetylsalicylic
acid, (ASA) you could have produced. This is called the theoretical yield.
Use the mass of ASA you actually produced to calculate your % yield.
Form a hypothesis to explain why your % yield was so low.
Was the iron(III) chloride test a good one to test the purity of an aspirin sample? Explain.
Was the melting point test a good one to test the purity of an aspirin sample? Explain.
