[christy]

Okay- it's been years since ive taken chem...now i find myself attempting to write a prelab and have NO IDEA what the purpose is, etc... PLEASE HELP: here are the intructions listed below:

                                  Separation of an organic acid from a mixture

   Weigh approximately 1.0 g of the50% p-nitrotoluene and 50% p-nitro-benzoic acid mixture and add it to 30 mL of technical grade ether in a 125 mL erlenmeyer flask.  Break any clumps with a stirring rod and mix thoroughly.

   Put the solution into a separatory funnel and add 15 mL of 5% sodium hydroxide solution.  Stopper the funnel and vigorously shake it to thoroughly mix the layers, venting occasionally.  Allow the layers to separate and run each into a separate beaker.  Return the organic phase to the separatory funnel and add a fresh 15 mL of sodium hydroxide solution.  Again shake and separate the layers.

   Pour both aqueous extracts into 35 mL of 15% sulfuric acid solution and stir.  Filter the precipitate using vacuum filtration.  Wash, the solid with a small amount of water while on the filter paper and place the top part of the Buchner funnel containing the sample in the desiccator jar to dry.  Put the organic and aqueous solutions into their respective waste containers.  Make sure the desiccant is blue of using indicating desiccant.

[Borek]

Separation of an organic acid from a mixture

Hmm... I would say that explains everything

Put the solution into a separatory funnel and add 15 mL of 5% sodium hydroxide solution.

Now you have two layers - organic with a dissolved mixture and water with strong base dissolved. What will happen to the benzoic acid?