Ekom Essien

9/19/07
1
Distillation of Cyclohexane and Toluene
Introduction
Cyclcohexane and toluene were distilled from an alcohol mixture using various
techniques (simple distillation, or fractional distillation using steel wool, beads, rings,
or empty column).

Procedure
This experiment was carried out as described in the manual. 16 mL of alcohol
was measured and used in the initial distillation process. In addition, distillation was
conducted using the fractional method with beads. Observations of the alcohol before
and during the experiment were made; the mixture was a clear liquid that began to
boil 40 min after the distillation process began.

Results
2 mL of F, 3 mL of S and 8 mL of R were collected from the distillation process.
Below is a graph that records the volume of the distillate collected vs. the temperature
during the process.

Distillation of Cyclohexane and

Toluene
Temperature

100
(Celsius)

80
60
Series2
40
20
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Volume of distillate (mL)

To find the molar fraction of cyclohexane and toluene present the following equation
was used:
risample= xtoluene ritoluene+ xcyclohexanericyclohexane
risample=(1-xcyclohexane)ritoluene+ xcyclohexanericyclohexane
risample= ritoluene- ritoluenexcyclohexane+ xcyclohexanericyclohexane
risample- ritoluene=- -ritoluenexcyclohexane+ xcyclohexanericyclohexane
risample- ritoluene/-ritoluenexcyclohexane= [(-ritoluene+ ricyclohexane)xcyclohexane]/ (- ritoluene+ ricyclohexane)
risample- ritoluene/-ritoluene+ xcyclohexane= xcyclohexane

The numeric values of the refractive indices for the sample, cyclohexane and toluene
were referenced from the lab manual and graph our lab TA complied. From this
derived equation, the molar fraction cyclohexane was found to be .408 and the molar
fraction of toluene was .592.

Conclusions
 Ekom Essien
9/19/07
2
From the refractive indices obtained from the different methods of distillation, it
can be concluded that fractional distillation is a more precise method of distillation than
simple distillation, and that fractional distillation with rings is more precise than empty
fractional distillation.

Questions
1. The total amount of distillate collected was 8.5 mL. The missing material
evaporated.
2. Based on the temperatures recorded during distillation and the known boiling
points of both substances, it can be concluded that the composition F is
cyclohexane, the composition of R is toluene, and the composition of S is a
mixture of the two.
3. The composition of F, S, and R were the purest in the fractional distillation with
rings and the least pure in the simple distillation. The seemed to be a correlation
between the use of more surface area/ packing material in producing purer
compositions of F, S and R.
4. Increasing the length of the column would improve the separation of the mixture
during distillation. The refractive indices of the F, S, and R distillates collected
using different methods of distillation were recorded. The refractive indices of
toluene and cyclohexane are 1.4969 and 1.4262, respectively (obtained from pg. 9
of lab manual). Comparing the resulting indices the average index of the F
distillate from a simple distillation was 1.44, whereas the average index of the F
distillate from a fractional distillation with rings was 1.43, which is closer to the
noted refractive index. In effect, the rings increased the length of the column.