Find Limiting Reactant: Homework Help

[Saladsamurai]

Homework Statement

I have this information from a lab handout

I have:

.40g of NH₂ = .25 mol NH₂

.58g of (CH₃CO)₂O = .0092 mol (CH₃CO)₂O

and the reaction

NH₂ + (CH₃CO)₂O---> HNCOCH₃ + CH₃COOH

I need to find the limiting reactant

I know that since the only product with N on the right hand side is HNCOCH3 so ALL of its N must have come from the NH₂

I am just not sure how to "test" the reactant (CH3CO)2O ? Both products contain all of those elements?

Any thoughts?

 

[MustBe]

Because the entire equation reacts in a 1 to 1 ratio (all stoichiometric proportions are equal) your limiting reagent is the one with the smallest number of moles.
only 0.0092mol of (CH3CO)2O is available to react, and as the number of moles of NH2 that will react with it is in equal proportion (the 1:1 ratio), only 0.0092 of the 0.25 mol NH2 will ever react. Thus, the (CH3CO)2O is the limiting reagant

I may have oversimplified the question, but I hope this helps!

 

[Saladsamurai]

Because the entire equation reacts in a 1 to 1 ratio (all stoichiometric proportions are equal) your limiting reagent is the one with the smallest number of moles.
only 0.0092mol of (CH3CO)2O is available to react, and as the number of moles of NH2 that will react with it is in equal proportion (the 1:1 ratio), only 0.0092 of the 0.25 mol NH2 will ever react. Thus, the (CH3CO)2O is the limiting reagant

I may have oversimplified the question, but I hope this helps!

No, I think it it a matter of me over complicating it! Thanks!

Casey

 

[Borek]

What is NH₂?

 

[MustBe]

What is NH₂?

I'm not sure. But I think its an amino group and that because its a cation is available to attach as a amine to carbohydrates and such.

 

[Borek]

Trick is, such a thing doesn't exist as a separate entity.

My bet is that it was some kind of error, in copying or something.