NAME: DATE

ISOLATION OF ACETYLSALICYLIC SOURCE

ACID FROM ASPIRIN TABLETS

PURPOSE

This experiment uses the recrystallization method to isolate pure acetylsalicylic acid from aspirin

tablets.

INTRODUCTION

Aspirin also known as acetylsalicylic acid is an aromatic compound that has two functional

groups, an ester and a carboxylic acid. Aspirin has four pharmacological uses, it is used as

analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant, and antipyretic. Aspirin is manufactured by

reacting salicylic acid and acetic acid in the presence of sulphuric acid as an acid catalyst.

Recrystallization is a physical method of purification that involves applying the difference in

solubilities of different molecules in different solvents. In this case, the acetylsalicylic acid is

purified by using toluene which will dissolve it when hot, and on cooling it is washed off to

yield pure acetylsalicylic acid.

PROCEDURE OBSERVATIONS

 Measure the weight of 5 tablets of

Aspirin in 125ml Erlenmeyer flask

 Using a boiling water bath in a metal

 pan on a hot plate, warm a small

amount of toluene

 Crush the tablets and then dissolve

them in a small amount of hot toluene

solution

 Filter the hot solution through fluted

filter paper into a small Erlenmeyer

flask to remove the insoluble solid

material

 Rinse the filter paper and the funnel

with a few mls of hot toluene

 Cool the filtrate to room temperature

and then place the flask in an

icy/water bath until crystal starts to

form.

 If crystals don’t form scratch the sides

of the flask while the solution is still

in the icy/water bath.

 If crystals don’t form add a small

amount of hexane and stir while

adding.

 Apply the vacuum filtration to collect

the crystals on the Buchner funnel

  Wash the aspirin crystal with small

amounts of ice-cold hexane to remove

traces of toluene

 Air-dry the crystals, weigh and

determine the melting point

 Calculate the percentage recovery of

acetylsalicylic acid from the aspirin

tablets

TABLE OF PHYSICAL CONSTANTS

Name of Formula Formula Melting Boiling Density Solubility

compound Weight Point Point

Aspirin C9H8O4 180.158 136 °C 140 °C 1.4 g/cm³

g/mol (277 °F) (284 °F).

Toluene C6H5CH3 92.14 -95° C [- 110.6° C 867 kg/m³

g/mol 139° F] [231.1° F]

Hexane C6H14 86.17848 -95.3°C 68.73°C 0.6606

g/mol g/mL 25°C