gdflp - 14-2-2014 at 12:03
I understand that acetaldehyde or ethanal can be synthesized using ethanol and a sodium dichromate oxidant dissolved in sulfuric acid, but won't the
product of acetaldehyde in turn be oxidized into acetic acid by extra sodium dichromate. Are there any ways to get around this?
[Edited on 14-2-2014 by gdflp]
Galinstan - 14-2-2014 at 12:21
distill off your product as it is being formed and avoid using excess dichromate.
gdflp - 14-2-2014 at 12:30
Would adding either the dichromate or ethanol dropwise help as well?
Galinstan - 15-2-2014 at 11:45
i doubt it, when i made ethanal i simple put all the reagents in a RBF and distilled and then distilled the crude product again to obtain ethanal in
good yield.