Arrange the following compounds in order of decreasing ease of elution from a column of silica gel: a) 2-octanol; b) 1,3-dichlorobenzene; c) tert-butylcyclohexane; d) benzoic acid

Question

I was wondering if this was the correct order of it:

Tert-butylcyclohexane > 1,3-dichlorobenzene > 2-octanol > benzoic acid

Answer 1

The most polar would elute last. I think benzoic acid is the most polar. The least polar would elute first. I wonder if that isn't octanol.

Answer 2

So the less polar it is then the more ease of elution?

tert-butylcyclohexane is the least polar so it would have a greater ease of elution.

Benzoic would have the least ease of elution because its a carboyxlic acid while 2-octanol is alcohol?

Answer 3

yes and no. I goofed. I was calling octanol octane. Obviously it isn't and it will be polar. I think your arrangment for octanol is correct. By the way, I find that way of stating the problem VERY confusing. Why wouldn't the problem ask which elutes first and which elutes last. If done that way everyone would know what the problem wants.

Answer 4

Yea I agree, thank you for your help.