Thermodynamic Control Lab Report

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Purpose The purpose of the experiment is to identify and understand reactions under kinetic and thermodynamic control. A reaction under kinetic and thermodynamic control can form two different types of products. A reaction under kinetic control is known to be irreversible and the product is formed quickly. A reaction under thermodynamic control is known to require rigorous conditions. It is also reversible. The final product is more stable than the product made by kinetic control. The chart below shows the two types of reaction coordinates: The green line shows kinetic control, whereas the blue line shows thermodynamic control. (*SM = starting materials, TS = transition state, P = product) This experiment will help identify which compound …show more content…

The expected melting point of Semicarbazone of Cyclohexanone is 166°C.1 The assumed product is Semicarbazone of Cyclohexanone. Observed temperature being lower than the expected may indicate a contamination or an impurity. The low temperature result was shown to be more accurate than the room temperature result. Perhaps, in the room temperature, there was more of a mix in the products (i.e. containing both Semicarbazone of Cyclohexanone and Furaldehyde). This is reinforced by the pale yellow colour observed, when Semicarbazone of Cyclohexanone is supposed to be white. Room temperature result could be close to the eutectic point. This is kinetic control, as it is formed much quicker than the product of the high temperature reaction. To fix the problem of lower than expected melting point could be have a set temperature as to how cold the low temperature should be (e.g. …show more content…

The expected melting point of Semicarbazone of 2-furaldehyde is 202°C.1 It is implied that the product of the high temperature reaction is Semicarbazone of 2-furaldehyde. This is thermodynamic control. If under normal conditions, when the nucleophilic nitrogen attacks, it will attack the cyclohexanone. If under rigorous conditions, the nitrogen will attack 2-furaldehyde. This is due to the carbon on cyclohexanone being secondary (i.e. more stable) than the primary carbon of 2-furaldehyde. The trend observed is thermodynamic control seem to effect primary carbons, whereas, kinetic control seem to effect secondary carbons. Under thermodynamic control the intermediate seems the most unstable. The kinetic controlled intermediate seems the least unstable of the two. Some improvements to the experiment might be using Na Acetate or Na Citrate as buffers instead of KHPO4. The pH ranges are 4.5-5.5 and 4.7-5.5, respectively. This range falls closer to the ideal pH of 5, then KHPO4 (pH

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