[James A]

Hi guys, got a quick question, I already know that when washing an organic product obtained, by say, aqueous Na2CO3, this will remove any acid from the organic product.

Now, if I was to wash my product with distilled water, what impurities am i removing? Am i removing an OH- ions??

Thanks, I'm slightly confused about this and I need to know it as it is part of my specification.

[clownfish]

(Original post by James A)
Hi guys, got a quick question, I already know that when washing an organic product obtained, by say, aqueous Na2CO3, this will remove any acid from the organic product.

Now, if I was to wash my product with distilled water, what impurities am i removing? Am i removing an OH- ions??

Thanks, I'm slightly confused about this and I need to know it as it is part of my specification.

Anything that will dissolve in water eg ionic and polar species, also things that can hydrogen bond.

[HeatherJarvo]

so if you wash in deionised water, you are removing any water soluble impurities. OH- ions, Na+ ions... I'm assuming that the organic product isnt water soluble, or that if it only dissolves in hot water you are using iced water, etc. so it stays in the funnel...

just a guess though, so i'm sure someone will correct me if im wrong...

[James A]

(Original post by clownfish)
Anything that will dissolve in water eg ionic and polar species, also things that can hydrogen bond.

(Original post by HeatherJarvo)
so if you wash in deionised water, you are removing any water soluble impurities. OH- ions, Na+ ions... I'm assuming that the organic product isnt water soluble, or that if it only dissolves in hot water you are using iced water, etc. so it stays in the funnel...

just a guess though, so i'm sure someone will correct me if im wrong...

cool beans ! that makes sense now!

So we can only use water, provided that the product we want to purify does not hydrogen bond with water, otherwise that would be a disaster!!

I would be so annoyed if i made that mistake in real life, hahaha