A #1.961*g# mass of #"salicylic acid"#, #C_6H_4(CO_2H)(OH)# is treated with excess acetic acid. How much #"ASA, i.e. aspirin"#, i.e. #"1,2-C"_6"H"_4"CO"_2"H(O"_2"CCH"_3")"# could be prepared?

1 Answer
anor277
Apr 9, 2017

Approx. #2.6*g#...................

Explanation:

First, we need to propose a stoichiometric equation that represents aspirin synthesis:

#"1,2-C"_6"H"_4("CO"_2"H)(OH)" + "HO"_2"CCH"_3 rarr "1,2-C"_6"H"_4"CO"_2"H(O"_2"CCH"_3) + "H"_2"O"#

And thus we see the production of ASA is a 1:1 reaction between salicylic acid and acetic acid. What sort of reaction is this?

#"Moles of salicylic acid"=(1.961*g)/(138.12*g*mol^-1)=0.0142*"mol"#.

Given this molar quantity, and the stoichiometric equation, AT MOST we can make #0.0142*"mol"xx180.16*"g"*"mol"^-1=# #2.56*g# of #"ASA"#.

Industrially, aspirin synthesis is conducted on a huge scale. Why? Because it is one of the most powerful, useful, and benign drugs known, and in recent years it has been prescribed widely as a blood-thinning agent.

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