Isopropane Synthesis Lab Report

The results obtained for this lab were very unsatisfactory, even though the results sustain a general trend throughout the course of the experiment, the results were not expected. At the beginning of the experiment all reagents produced satisfactory results, the reactant 2-bromopropane was determined to be the limiting reagent for the Grignard formation and the Isopropyl Magnesium Bromide was correctly formed. However, random errors occurred at the nucleophilic addition step. At this period, it was observed there was not condensation happening inside the reflux condenser while the mixture was being heating, and as a result, the nucleophilic addition was not successful because some of the product was lost through boiling without condensation. …show more content…
According to the percent yield calculations, the product was formed at a 1.81% yield, this result is confirmed by the TLC image observation and Rf values calculated. The Rf values of the reactant (0.325) were significantly lower than the Rf values of the product (0.50) throughout the reaction, which indicates an imperfectly product formed. Also, as observed during the course of the experiment and demonstrated by the calculated mean of the Rf values, 4-methoxybenzaldehyde to 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanol reaction synthesis was not brought to completion. The higher product Rf value correlates with the extremely low percentage yield findings, suggesting a low polar property of the resultant product, which was caused by the poor molecular synthesis and high levels of contamination present during the