Oxidation of Cyclohexanol to Cyclohexanone

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Oxidation of Cyclohexanol to Cyclohexanone

The oxidation of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone involves the

removal of hydrogen from the OH group. After separation and

purification, an Infrared Spectrum will be run to determine the

composition of the recovered material.

Infrared Spectroscopy is a very powerful technique used in the

determination of molecular structure and the identification of

unknown organic materials. The infrared spectrum yields direct

information about the presence or absence of key functional groups.

“The region of the infrared spectrum which is of greatest interest to

organic chemists is the wavelength range 2.5 to 15 micrometers

which correspond to approximately 4000 to 600cm-1”(Young). “When

atoms or molecules absorb light, the incoming energy excites a

quantized structure to a higher energy level. The type of excitation

depends on the wavelength of the light. Electrons are promoted to

higher orbirtals by ultraviolet or visible light, vibrations are excited by

infrared light, and rotations are excited by microwaves” (Tissue).

IR spectroscopy is the measurement of the wavelength and

intensity of the absorption of infrared light by a sample. The

wavelength of IR absorption bands are characteristic of specific types

of chemical bonds.

An IR spectrophotometer is an instrument which is designed to

obtain an infrared spectra of a molecule. An IR spectra is obtained by

first irradiating a sample with an IR source of light. The light passes

through the sample, which can be in solution or contained within a

salt plate, and then onto an IR light detector. The spectrum is

analyzed by examining at which frequency the peaks occur. Different

peak frequencies indicate different types of vibrational motion and

hence, different types of chemical bonds. The peak intensities are

usually noted as percent transmittance which compares the amount of

light absorbed compared to the amount of IR light that was not

absorbed. The frequencies are normally listed in wave numbers (in

units of reciprocal centimeters).

Experiment

The oxidation of cyclohexanol by dichromate occurred in the

presence of sulfuric acid which yielded cyclohexanone according to the

balanced redox reaction below:

3 + Cr2O7-2 + 8H+ -- 3 + 2Cr+3 + 7H2O

In the presence of excess dichromate, cyclohexanol oxidizes to adipic

acid. To maximize yield, the following reaction was prevented:

3 + 4Cr2O7-2 + 32H+ -- 3HOOC(CH2)4COOH + 8Cr+3 + 19H2O

The addition of methanol reduced the excess dichromate according to

the balanced redox reaction below:

CH3OH + Cr2O7-2 + 8H+ -- CO2 + 2Cr+3 + 6H2O

Recovery of the ketone was by steam distillation; collecting all

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