How To Use Liquid CO2 To Extract D-Limonene

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This experiment is predicated on the concept of utilizing liquid CO2 to extract D-Limonene from an orange’s rind and using optical rotation/refractive index to characterize the D-Limonene. Limonene is an essential oil which is found in orange peels. Limonene is classified as a monoterpene. This is because its structure consists of two isoprene units (C5H10). Limonene, like many essential oils, is categorized as a terpene/terpenoid. Terpenoids are oxygenated variations of terpenes. Terpenes are organic molecules that make up essential oils that can be found in many citrus fruits. Terpenes have structures made up of multiple isoprene units. These units are typically loosely assembled in a head-to-tail fashion (Weldegirma 2016). Terpenes are …show more content…

This light is referred to as plane polarized light (Weldegirma 2016). Polarimetry is also used to verify if a substance rotates the plane polarized light. The plane polarized light can rotate to the left, right, or not at all. A substance is considered optically active if it is able to rotate the plane polarized light to the either the left or right. A substance being optically active means that it has an enantiomer. To be optically active, the viewed substance must have a chiral center. A chiral center is defined as a carbon atom that has four different R groups linked to it. The positions of the 4 R groups determine which way the plane polarized light is rotated (Weldegrima 2016). Using a polarimeter to measure the substance’s optical rotation will help determine the optical purity of the substance. As polarized light passes through an optically active material, it rotates a certain amount. Measuring the degree of rotation of the polarized light will lead to the optical rotation being determined (Natt & Zhu, 2016). Polarimetric analysis of stereoisomers yields results that are represented in terms of Enantiomeric Excess (ee). Enantiomeric excess is also known as optical purity. To calculate the % ee the equation % ee = [α] Observed / [α] Pure * 100 is used. This equation allows

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