Coursework- Aspirin

Coursework- Aspirin

1. Risk Assessment

   • Ethanoic anhydride
   • Aspirin
   • Salicylic acid
   • Iron (III) Chloride
   • Chromatography solvent
   • Glacial Acetic acid (pure ethanoic acid)
   • Conc. Sulphuric acid
   • Sodium Hydroxide
   • Hydrochloric Acid

2. Experiments I am doing

   • Make Aspirin with Salicylic acid and ethanoic anhydride (Conc. Sulphuric acid catalyst).
   • Recrystalise my made aspirin using hot water as the solvent.
   • Test the purity of the recrystalised aspirin compared with the un-recrystalised aspirin, salicylic acid and pure aspirin using thin layer chromatography.
   • Use a colorimeter to test the concentration of salicylic acid in the un-recrystallised aspirin, by comparing to known concentrations of salicylic acid solutions (using Iron (III) Chloride.
   • Test the purity of shop bought aspirin by titrating with Sodium Hydroxide (assay).
   • Use Iron (III) Chloride to test the purity of my aspirin qualititively
   • Back titration- Reflux aspirin with NaOH and then titrate with HCl to see how much NaOH has reacted.
   • Melting Point test- see how the melting points vary, impurities will have an impact on the melting point of the different aspirins.

3. Chemicals I will need

   • Chromatography Solvent
   • Ethanoic anhydride
   • Glacial Acetic acid?
   • Shop bought aspirin tablets (1 packet)
   • Pure aspirin powder
   • Salicylic acid
   • Iron (III) Chloride
   • Conc. Sulphuric Acid
   • Sodium Hydroxide
   • Hydrochloric acid

4. Equipment needed (apart from beakers etc which I can get in the lab)

   • Reflux apparatus
   • Fume cupboard
   • Chromatography plates
   • Pestle and Mortar
   • Top pan balance (2 d.p. minimum)
   • Filter paper
   • Buchner funnel
   • Cling film
   • Colourimeter
   • spatula
   • Weighing boat or one of the test tubes which have screw on lids (Sorry I cannot remember their name)