A student prepares ethyl benzoate by the reaction of benzoic acid with ethanol using a sulfuric acid catalyst. The following compounds are found in the crude reaction mixture: ethyl benzoate (major component), benzoic acid, ethanol, and sulfuric acid. Using a handbook, obtain the solubility properties in water for each of these compounds. Indicate how you would remove benzoic acid, ethanol, and sulfuric acid from ethyl benzoate. At some point in the purification, you should also use an aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution.

Question

A student prepares ethyl benzoate by the reaction of benzoic acid with ethanol using a sulfuric acid catalyst. The following compounds are found in the crude reaction mixture: ethyl benzoate (major component), benzoic acid, ethanol, and sulfuric acid. Using a handbook, obtain the solubility properties in water for each of these compounds. Indicate how you would remove benzoic acid, ethanol, and sulfuric acid from ethyl benzoate. At some point in the purification, you should also use an aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution.
Don't we just add aq. NaHCO3 to the mixture and then a water layer and an ether layer forms. The ether layer will only contain ethyl benzoate? I'm not sure if this right, it seems too easy, any suggestions will be helpful. 
A flow chart showing the separation would be great.

DrBob222 · Answer

https://br.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081007211400AAlDw53

Christine · Answer

Mix the mixture with water