CHEMISTRY LABORATORY EXPERIMENT-10

DISTILLATION

Abstract: In this experiment, a 1:1 solution of cyclohexane and toluene was separated using
simple distillation technique performed on macroscale level. Graphs of temperature vs. volume
of distillate collected showed the changes in vapor temperature for experiment.

Introduction: Distillation is a laboratory method which can be used to separate liquids from a
homogenous mixture based upon their boiling points. The boiling point of a liquid is the
temperature at which the vapor pressure of the liquid is equal to the applied pressure from its
environment, i.e. the barometric pressure for a given day. Because boiling point is reliant upon
atmospheric pressure, there is a positive relationship between the two, though it is not linear.
The boiling point at a given pressure can be calculated using the Clausius-Clapeyron equation
(1), which is

(1)

When dealing with a mixture of ideal liquids, their contributions to total vapor pressure of the
entire solution may be calculated using Dalton’s law of partial pressures (2).

(2)

Both P1 and P2 can be calculated using Raoult’s law (3). In this equation, P10 and P20 are the
vapor pressures of the pure liquids, respectively, at a specific temperature. N1 and N2 are the
mole fractions of each liquid in the mixture. Combining (2) and (3) results in the final equation
(4).

(4)

In a mixture, the substance with the lower boiling point will boil off first. This is called the more
volatile liquid. As the procedure continues, the proportion of the two liquids in the distillate will
shift from favoring the more volatile liquid to the less volatile. In order to purify a substance,
serial distillations may be performed using an early portion of the successive distillates.
Distillation involves heating the mixture to its boiling point, then guiding the vapors to a cooling
device where they are condensed. This liquid is known as the distillate. In a simple distillation
procedure, a mixture is heated to boiling, the vapors rise, condense, and then are collected.
Procedure

Macroscale Distillation
A simple distillation apparatus was set up as shown in Figure 1 using a 100 ml round bottom
boiling flask. 10 ml each of cyclohexane and toluene were added to the flask with a few boiling
chips. This mixture was heated with a heating mantel until the condensation dropped at a
regular rate of approximately 1 drop per second. This was collected in a graduated cylinder. The
temperature was recorded for every 2 ml of distillate. This experiment was run until 10 ml of
distillate had been collected.

Figure 1. Simple Macroscale Distillation

Apparatus used to separate -20 mL
of 1:1 cyclohexane:toluene.

Results and Discussion

Boiling point of cyclohexane is lower than that of toluene. This was confirmed in the literature,
which listed the boiling point of cyclohexane as 81º C, whereas the value for toluene is 111º C.
Note the temperature of the vapor at 1 minute time intervals.

References
Macroscale Distillation Apparatus. (2014). Image. Found on: www.ochem-
meltingpod.wikispaces.com/Distillation+of+Acetone

Zubrick, J. W. (2008). The organic chem lab survival manual: A student’s guide to techniques.
Danvers, MA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.