Separation of Aniline and Toluene Mixture

Aniline and toluene are both organic compounds with different physical and chemical properties. Therefore, they can be separated using various methods, such as distillation, fractional distillation, and solvent extraction. However, the most common method used to separate aniline and toluene is solvent extraction using acidified water as a reagent.

Acidified Water as a Reagent

Acidified water is a mixture of water and an acid, such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid. When aniline and toluene are mixed with acidified water, the aniline reacts with the acid to form anilinium chloride, which is soluble in water. On the other hand, toluene does not react with the acid, and therefore remains insoluble in water. This allows the aniline to be separated from the toluene by simply decanting the water layer.

The Process of Separation

The following steps can be followed to separate aniline and toluene using acidified water:

1. Mix the aniline and toluene mixture with acidified water in a separating funnel.
2. Shake the separating funnel to ensure that the mixture is well mixed with the acidified water.
3. Allow the mixture to settle in the separating funnel for a few minutes to allow the layers to separate.
4. Carefully decant the water layer containing the anilinium chloride into a beaker.
5. Wash the water layer with some more acidified water to ensure that all the aniline has been extracted.
6. Repeat the process of washing the water layer until no more aniline is extracted.
7. Collect the anilinium chloride solution in a beaker and treat it with a base, such as sodium hydroxide, to precipitate the aniline.
8. Filter the precipitate to obtain pure aniline.

Conclusion

Using acidified water as a reagent is an effective method for separating aniline and toluene. This method is simple, efficient, and does not require any expensive equipment. By following the steps outlined above, it is possible to obtain pure aniline from a mixture of aniline and toluene.