How Do You Calculate Keq from a 66.6% Yield in Esterification?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ChemDoodle
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Preparation
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on calculating the equilibrium constant (Keq) for the esterification reaction of isoamyl acetate based on a reported yield of 66.6%. Participants explore how to derive the concentrations of products and reactants needed for the calculation, given that equimolar amounts of starting materials were used.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant outlines the reaction and the need for concentrations of products and reactants to calculate Keq.
  • Another participant suggests using stoichiometry and an ICE table approach to determine the final amounts of unreacted reactants, assuming volume remains constant.
  • A participant calculates that 33.4% of the reactants remain unreacted and proposes a volume assumption to facilitate calculations.
  • Another participant recommends starting with an initial amount of n=1 for one species and writing the expression for K, while noting the importance of checking if volume cancels out in the calculations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various methods to approach the calculation, but there is no consensus on the specific steps or assumptions to take regarding the concentrations and volumes involved.

Contextual Notes

Assumptions about volume constancy and the initial amounts of reactants are not universally agreed upon, and the discussion includes different interpretations of how to apply stoichiometric principles.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students and practitioners in chemistry, particularly those interested in reaction kinetics and equilibrium calculations in esterification processes.

ChemDoodle
Messages
25
Reaction score
0
In the preparation of isoamyl acetate, a student reported a % yield of 66.6%.Assuming that he used equimolar amounts of the starting materials,what is the equilibirium constant of the esterification process?

I need conc of products & conc of reactants to get Keq but how do i get that? They only said that equimolar amounts were used & that means there is no limiting or excess reagent.

All I've managed to get so far is that i need to use the reaction:
CH3CO2H + HOCH2CH2CH(CH3)2 ---> CH3CO2CH2CH2CH(CH3)2 +H2O

Keq= [CH3CO2CH2CH2CH(CH3)2] / [CH3CO2H] [HOCH2CH2CH(CH3)2]

But how do i get these conc.?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
You have to assume that volume has not changed and use stoichiometry to calculate final amounts of unreacted rectants. That's in a way similar to using ICE table.

And don't forget C=n/V.

--
 
33.4% of the reactants have not reacted. So if we assume V=100ml that means 33.4ml have not reacted and 66.6 ml is V for the product. Is this correct?
Incase it is, how do i get n? I only need n for one species because its equimolar & stoich is 1:1.
 
Start assuming initially n=1. Write expression for K. Check if volume doesn't cancel out.

--
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
7K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
4K
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
7K
Replies
3
Views
4K