How to distinguish between pairs of componds?

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In summary, distinguishing between pairs of compounds can be done through various methods such as treating with different substances or examining physical properties like melting point and hardness. For example, treating sodium stearate and dedecylbenesulphonate with sodium will result in different reactions, and melting point and odor can be used to differentiate between beewax and paraffin wax. Additionally, saponification can be used to distinguish between trimyristin and trioleon by observing the formation of different acids.
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xiaofupo
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1. How to Distinguish between pairs of componds below?

i. sodium stearate and dedecylbenesulphonate
ii. trimyristin and myristic acid
iii. beewax and paraffin wax
iv.trimyristin and trioleon

2. The attempt at a solution
i. treat with Na, sodium stearate react with Na form calcium stearate, but dedecylbenesulphonate will not form calcium stearate

ii.saponification, treated with KOH, trimyristin form 1 glyrerol and 3 myristic acid( but don't know how to distinguish it from the observation of the chemical test during experiment); myristic acid will not undergo saponification do not have any observation change

iii. saponification, treated with KOH, beewax will not have any reaction ; paraffin wax do not undergo saponification

iv.saponification, treated with KOH, trimyristin form 1 glyrerol and 3 myristic acid, triolein form 3 oleic acid
 
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  • #2
You just don't ask. You try, you tell us what you did, we push you in the right direction.
 
  • #3
From xiaofupo:
1. How to Distinguish between pairs of componds below?

i. sodium stearate and dedecylbenesulphonate
ii. trimyristin and myristic acid
iii. beewax and paraffin wax
iv.trimyristin and trioleon

Is this for school or for business?

i. Could you make a practical investigation of use of ion-exchange chromatography? Which salts are soluble and which are not?

iii. What does each of those waxes alone smell like? One of them comes from petroleum and may or may not have one kind of odor; the other comes from bees and it certainly has a certain odor (smell a sample of bees wax and you will know what it is). I wonder if melting point could be useful here, too. Maybe hardness measurement (mechanical, not the "hardness" of calcium & magnesium in water - that is a completely different meaning for hardness).
 

1. How can I determine if two compounds are isomers of each other?

Isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different structures. To determine if two compounds are isomers, you can compare their structural formulas and look for any differences in the arrangement of atoms. Isomers will have the same number and types of atoms, but the way they are connected will be different.

2. What is the difference between structural isomers and stereoisomers?

Structural isomers have different structural formulas, while stereoisomers have the same structural formula but differ in the arrangement of atoms in space. Stereoisomers can be further classified as cis-trans isomers or enantiomers, depending on the type of spatial arrangement.

3. How can I distinguish between enantiomers?

Enantiomers are molecules that are mirror images of each other and have the same physical and chemical properties, except for their interaction with polarized light. To distinguish between enantiomers, you can use a polarimeter to measure their specific rotation values. Enantiomers will have equal but opposite specific rotation values.

4. Can I use spectroscopy to distinguish between compounds?

Yes, spectroscopy techniques like infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) can be used to distinguish between compounds. These techniques rely on the unique energy levels and frequencies of different chemical bonds within a molecule, and can provide information about the functional groups present in a compound.

5. How can I tell if two compounds are the same substance?

To determine if two compounds are the same substance, you can compare their physical and chemical properties, including melting point, boiling point, density, and reactivity. If all these properties are identical, then the compounds are likely the same substance. Additionally, you can use techniques like thin-layer chromatography or gas chromatography to compare the compounds' chemical compositions and confirm their identity.

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