Question

How would you purify decanoic acid contaminated with biphenyl? what method and solvent.Please help me

Answer 1

Just as a quick guess so check me out on this. I would think that biphenyl would not be very soluble in base so as first try I would dissolve in NaOH solution (which should form the sodium salt of daecanoic acid), filter, the filtrate will contain the Na salt of the acid, the solid remaining behind is biphenyl. Neutralize the salt with acid to regenerate the decanoic acid. Voila!