ScienceHideout
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Benzene from Phenol
C6H5OH + Zn ---> C6H6 + ZnO
I see multiple sources online that say that simply distilling this will drive the reaction and get benzene, but I cannot seem to find any instructions
or procedures to make this go thru. Perhaps we should do some experimenting!
Phenol is 96 g/mol; benzene is 78; zinc is 65.5
What if we take 9.6 grams of phenol, make it into solution with n-BuOH (because of high boiling point) and add molar excess of zinc, ~10g. What would
happen if we reflux this for 30 minutes, then set up for distillation. Will benzene come over at 80 C? I don't see any benzene/alcohol azeotropes.
Besides- is benzene not insoluble? Maybe we can separate then distill?
Assuming 100% yield, we will get 7.8 g benzene... but because we are human we could probably expect 5 mL, right?
Any insight goes appreciated, thanks!
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plante1999
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You should reflux the phenol without solvent. I remember having read that experiment in an old book about lecture experiments, apparently you heat
zinc dust in a tube and pass hot phenol fumes that condenses in benzene.
I never asked for this.
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ScienceHideout
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Nice input! I would like to try that... just something about liquefied phenol makes me uncomfortable though. I don't know if it is the smell, the
phenol that is left on the glassware, or perhaps the movie "unstoppable" but there must be another way... ![:D](./images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
But thanks anyways, Plante!
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bfesser
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Then post them.
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ScienceHideout
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Wikipedia and yahoo answers ![:P](./images/smilies/tongue.gif)
I know, I know, those don't count... BUT... Wikipedia links to a book...
http://books.google.com/books?id=HEY9AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA199&a... <-Pg 23
EDIT:
http://chem-guide.blogspot.com/2010/04/preparation-of-benzen...
Here is another page
[Edited on 24-2-2014 by ScienceHideout]
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Zyklon-A
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Wikipedia say's, "Phenol is reduced to benzene when it is distilled with zinc dust or its vapor is passed over granules of zinc at 400 °C:
C6H5OH + Zn → C6H6 + ZnO.
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