Question

To extract aniline (C6H5NH2) from a solution of chloroform, what other solvent would you use?

Answer 1

I thought you would use an aqueous acid

Answer 2

To extract aniline (C6H5NH2) from a solution of chloroform, a suitable solvent that can be used is water. Aniline is more soluble in water than in chloroform, so it can be extracted from the chloroform solution by adding water and shaking the mixture vigorously. The aniline will dissolve in the water layer, while the chloroform will remain in the organic layer. The two layers can then be separated, and the aniline can be isolated from the aqueous layer by further purification methods.

Answer 3

You are correct, using an aqueous acid solution is a more common method to extract aniline from chloroform. Aniline is a weak base, so it can be protonated by an acid to form a water-soluble salt. One commonly used acid for this purpose is hydrochloric acid (HCl). By adding an aqueous solution of HCl to the chloroform containing aniline, the aniline will be converted into its hydrochloride salt (C6H5NH3Cl), which is soluble in water. The chloroform layer can then be separated, and the aqueous layer containing the aniline hydrochloride can be treated with a base (such as sodium hydroxide) to regenerate the free aniline.