Preparation Of Synthetic Banana Oil Lab Report
Learning how to prepare synthetic banana oil is one of the most exciting experiments students can do in high school or college. It allows you to understand the principles of organic synthesis and to learn how to work with chemicals and equipment. The purpose of this article is to present a comprehensive lab report on the preparation of synthetic banana oil from isoamyl acetate.
Introduction
The objective of this lab was to synthesize banana oil from isoamyl acetate. Banana oil is a term that is generally used to describe a synthetic substance that has the odor of banana. The synthesis of banana oil is an example of an esterification reaction which involves the reaction of acetic acid with isoamyl alcohol. In this experiment, we used sulfuric acid as a catalyst to speed up the reaction process. This reaction produces isoamyl acetate, water, and sulfuric acid as by-products. The isoamyl acetate synthesized in this lab can be used as a flavoring agent in candy, ice cream, and other food products.
Materials and Methods
The materials used in this laboratory experiment were:
- 100 ml round bottom flask
- 25 ml graduated cylinder
- Dropper pipette
- Reflux condenser
- Heating mantle
- Thermometer
- Sulfuric acid
- Isoamyl alcohol (2-methyl-1-butanol)
- Acetic acid (ethanoic acid)
- Anhydrous sodium sulfate
- Distilled water
- Banana oil standard
The procedure used to prepare synthetic banana oil was as follows:
- Weighed out 5 ml of isoamyl alcohol, 9 ml of acetic acid, and 5 drops of concentrated sulfuric acid into a 100 ml round bottom flask.
- Added a few boiling chips to the flask and fitted it with a reflux condenser.
- Heated the mixture under reflux for 60 minutes with a heating mantle.
- Monitored the temperature of the reaction mixture with a thermometer.
- Cooled the flask to room temperature, added 10 ml of distilled water, and swirled the mixture.
- Separated the organic layer (banana oil) from the aqueous layer and dried it with anhydrous sodium sulfate.
- Filtered the organic layer through a filter paper and collected it in a vial.
- Measured the refractive index of the banana oil using a refractometer and compared it with the banana oil standard.
Results
The results obtained from the experiment are shown in the table below:
| Mass of isoamyl alcohol | 5 ml |
| Mass of acetic acid | 9 ml |
| Mass of sulfuric acid | 5 drops |
| Reaction time | 60 minutes |
| Reaction temperature | 70°C |
| Refractive index of banana oil | 1.402 |
The refractive index of the banana oil obtained from this experiment was 1.402, which was comparable to the refractive index of the banana oil standard.
Discussion
The synthesis of banana oil from isoamyl acetate is an example of an esterification reaction. In this experiment, we used sulfuric acid as a catalyst to speed up the reaction process. The sulfuric acid protonates the carbonyl group of the acetic acid, making it more reactive towards the nucleophilic attack of the isoamyl alcohol. The reaction mechanism is shown below:
Acetic acid + isoamyl alcohol → isoamyl acetate + water
The reaction proceeds through a carbocation intermediate, which is stabilized by the electron-donating effect of the alkyl group in the isoamyl alcohol. The by-product of the reaction is water, which is removed from the reaction mixture by the reflux condenser.
The refractive index of the banana oil obtained from this experiment was 1.402, which was within the expected range for isoamyl acetate. The refractive index is a measure of the bending of light as it passes through a substance, and it is used to identify and quantify organic compounds.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the synthesis of synthetic banana oil from isoamyl acetate is a straightforward laboratory experiment that demonstrates the principles of organic synthesis. By using sulfuric acid as a catalyst, we were able to obtain a high yield of isoamyl acetate, which had the same odor and refractive index as the banana oil standard. This experiment is a great introduction to the field of organic chemistry and can be used as a starting point for more advanced experiments.