Explain the purpouse of reflux in the oxidation of ethanol to ethanoic acid
Reflux apparatus is when a distillation tube is surrounded by an apparatus that pumps cold water around it in order to condense its compounds in the mixture
As ethanol has a low boiling point, it evaporates fairly quickly.This means some of the ethanol may escape before it has been fully oxidised ino a carboxylic acid. Reflux therefore allows ethanol to be condensed back into liquid form to ensure all of the reactants are used up in the reaction. This will help increase the yield of ethanoic acid.
MA
Related Chemistry A Level answers
All answers ▸How does HBr add across a double bond? Predict the regiochemistry when HBr is reacted with 2-methylpropene
What would the ideal conditions for the Haber process (nitrogen + hydrogen to ammonia) be? Why are the ideal conditions not used in industry?
Predict the boiling points (lowest to highest) of Butan-1-ol, 2-methylpropane and Butane
Explain why adding small amounts of acid or base hardly changes the pH of an acidic buffer solution.