Background: Given an unknown mixture which contains either two or three of the following liquids: tetrahydrofuran (THF), cyclohexane, toluene, and o-xylene. While the order that the compounds leave the column is not always obvious, the column we are using is a polar environment and therefore we would expect less polar (lower boiling) compounds to spend the least time in the column.

Chemistry
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ISBN:9781305957404
Author:Steven S. Zumdahl, Susan A. Zumdahl, Donald J. DeCoste
Publisher:Steven S. Zumdahl, Susan A. Zumdahl, Donald J. DeCoste
Chapter1: Chemical Foundations
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Background: Given an unknown mixture which contains either two or three of the following liquids: tetrahydrofuran (THF), cyclohexane, toluene, and o-xylene. While the order that the compounds leave the column is not always obvious, the column we are using is a polar environment and therefore we would expect less polar (lower boiling) compounds to spend the least time in the column. In order to qualitatively confirm the identity of the peaks, you will make five different samples to analyze on the gas chromatograph: (a) your unknown, (b) unknown + THF, (c) unknown + cyclohexane, (d) unknown + toluene, and (e) unknown + o-xylene. Any new peak that appearsin relation to your unknown sample indicates that compound is not present in your unknown; furthermore, an increase in the size of a peak present in your unknown identifies that compound as a component of the mixture. Although not completely accurate, the areas of the peaks in your unknown will allow you to find the approximate percentage of each compound in the mixture. 

 

Questions:

1. How would the resolution (separation into discrete peaks) be affected if you used a column ½ the length of the one you used today?

 

2. According to the label, the commercial glass cleaner Windex contains 8 ingredients: water, 2- hexoxyethanol, isopropanolamine, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, lauramine oxide, ammonium hydroxide, a fragrance molecule, and blue dye. A sample of windex is analyzed by GC and only 7 compounds could be identified: sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate could not be located in the chromatogram. Please offer an explanation that accounts for why this ingredient in Windex is not observed by GC?

 

3. What would happen to the retention time of a given compound if the carrier gas flow rate of the gas chromatograph is increased?

 

4. We are looking at reaction A→B via periodic GC analysis. Initially, we only see one peak in our chromatogram; however, over time we find that a new peak is growing while the original peak is shrinking. What is happening?

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