Calculate the theoretical yield of aspirin obtained when 2.0 g of salicylic acid and 5.0 mL of acetic anhydride (density = 1.08 g/mL) 2. if 1.9 g f asprin were obtained in this experiment, what would be the percent yield?

The percent yield would be 73%

Explanation:

The balanced reaction for the obtention of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) is the following:

Salicylic acid + acetic anhydride → acetylsalicylic acid + acetic acid

C₇H₆O₃          +          C₄H₆O₃        →         C₉H₈O₄           +    C₂H₄O₂

According to the reaction, 1 mol of salicylic acid reacts with 1 mol of acetic anhydride to give 1 mol of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and 1 mol of acetic acid.

1 mol aspirin (C₉H₈O₄) = (9 x 12 g/mol) + (8 x 1 g/mol) + (4 x 16 g/mol)

                                     = 180 g

1 mol salicylic acid (C₇H₆O₃) = (7 x 12 g/mol) + (6 x 1 g/mol) + (3 x 16 g/mol)

                                              = 138 g

1 mol acetic anhydride (C₄H₆O₃) = (4 x 12 g/mol) + (6 x 1 g/mol) + (3 x 16 g/mol)

                                                      = 102 g

The stoichiometric ratio is = 138 g salicylic acid/102 g acetic anhydride= 1.35

We have:

2.0 g salicylic acid

acetic anhydride = 5.0 mL x 1.08 g/mL = 5.4 g

The reactants ratio is = 2.0 g salicylic acid/5.4 g acetic anhydride = 0.37

0.37 < 1.35 , therefore salicylic acid is the limiting reactant.

Now, we use the amount of salicylic acid to calculate the theoretical amount of aspirin. For this, we know that 1 mol of aspirin (180 g) is obtained from 1 mol of salycilic acid (138 g):

theoretical yield= 180 g aspirin/138 g salycilic acid x 2.0 g salycilic acid = 2.61 g aspirin

actual yield = 1.9 g

Finally, we calculate the yield:

percent yield = actual yield/theoretical yield x 100

        = 1.9 g/2.6 g x 100 = 72.8% ≅ 73%

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