JCE Online Journal of Chemical Education
 | Subscriptions  | Software Orders  | Support  | Contributors  | Advertisers  | 

JCE Print
   Current Issue
 Previous Issues
 Supplements
 Search JCE Index

JCE Digital Library
   DigiDemos
 QBank
 SymMath
 WebWare

JCE Software
   Latest Releases
 Software & Video
 Downloads
 Support

Only@JCE Online
   JCE Online Store
 JCE HS CLIC
 JCE Discussion Forums
   Biographical Snapshots
 ChemEd Resource Shelf
 Featured Molecules
 Hal's Picks
 Project Chemlab
 Reviewed WWW Sites
 "Web-Ed" Articles

About JCE
   Features
 Publications
 Operations
 Outreach
 Contact Us


  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2002  > June  >
In the Laboratory
Fractional Distillation and GC Analysis of Hydrocarbon Mixtures
Craig J. Donahue
Department of Natural Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI 48128-1491
Cover
June 2002
Vol. 79 No. 6
p. 721
Abstract
An introductory experiment involving the fractional distillation of a three-component hydrocarbon mixture and analysis of the recovered fractions by gas chromatography is described. It has been used in a general chemistry sequence that includes a section on organic chemistry, but it is also well suited for an introductory organic chemistry laboratory course. The hydrocarbon mixtures are given to student groups as unknowns. They contain an alkane or cycloalkane, an alkene or cycloalkene, and an alkyl-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon. Five unknown mixtures are analyzed by the lab class. Supplied with the following information, the students identify the three species in their mixture: the names, structures and boiling points of all 15 hydrocarbons used to make the five unknowns; the IR and 13C NMR spectra of each of the three species in their particular unknown; and the experimentally determined boiling points. Representative GC results from student fractional distillations are included. This lab experiment is part of an effort to develop a general chemistry sequence for engineering students involving active learning and using the theme of "Chemistry and the Automobile".
Supplement
Instructions for students are available.
*  Contents JCE2002p0721W.wpd (Word Perfect)
*  Download
JCE2002p0721W.pdf

JCE2002p0721W.zip

JCE2002p0721W.sit
More Information
*  Citation
 Donahue, Craig J. J. Chem. Educ. 2002 79 721.
*  Keywords
 Chromatography; General Chemistry; Organic Chemistry
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 May 17, 2002
March 16, 2005
<< Previous Article Table of Contents Next Article >>
  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2002  > June  > Page 721


Subscriptions
 Subscription Info
 Order Forms

JCE HS CLIC

Our Secondary School editors work hard to distill all the JCE materials to produce a fraction of particular interest to high school teachers. We call it CLIC.
 JCE HS CLIC

Contributions Welcome
JCE welcomes your submission
 Contributors' Corner

Advertisers
In recent years we have worked hard to better match our advertisers with our readers. When shopping for chemistry education materials, visit our advertisers' WWW sites first.
 Recent Advertisers

Be An Ambassador
Take JCE along on your outreach missions. Copies of the Journal, guest access to JCE Online, our publications catalog, and more are available for your participants.
 Outreach with JCE

Comments to
jceonline@chem.wisc.edu		 Copyright © Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society.
All rights reserved.