Dimethyl Fumarate Lab Report

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The isomerization procedure was done in order to create dimethyl fumarate from dimethyl maleate. Dimethyl maleate and dimethyl fumarate are cis and trans isomers, respectively. This procedure was done via a free radical mechanism using bromine. The analysis of carvones reaction was done in order to identify the smell and optical rotation of the carvone samples that were provided. The odor was determined by smelling the compound and the optical rotation was determined using a polarimeter. Data and Results Initially, 0.5mL of dimethyl maleate was used. The density of dimethyl maleate is 1.15g/cm3, resulting in an initial mass of 0.575g. The final mass of dimethyl fumarate was 0.386g, which gives a percent yield of 67.1%, which is greater …show more content…

Enantiomers, a type of isomer, are non-superimposable, mirror images of each other. Diasteriomers, another type of isomer, are non-superimposable, non-mirror images of each other. Dimethyl maleate and dimethyl fumarate are diasteriomers, as they are not mirror images but instead vary in the orientation of the carbomethoxy groups around the double bond. Dimethyl maleate is the cis-isomer because both groups are on the same side and dimethyl fumarate is the trans-isomer because the two groups are on opposite sides. A bromine free radical mechanism was required for this conversion. First, energy from light is required to create two bromine free radicals from Br2. Then one of the free radicals attacks the double bond in dimethyl maleate, breaking it and creating a carbon radical on the other carbon. The bond then rotates and reforms, freeing the bromine radical and creating the trans-isomer, dimethyl fumarate. Bromine in this reaction is acting as a catalyst in this reaction and then cyclohexane is added at the end to neutralize the bromine free radicals. The activation reaction of the radical reaction is lower than the activation energy of the addition reaction, which is why it occurred more quickly. This reaction was successful because the percent yield was 67.1%, which is greater that 65%. It also demonstrated the expected principles, as the reaction did not occur without the presence of both light and bromine. The dimethyl fumarate had a measured boiling point of 100C to 103C, which is extremely close to the expected boiling point of 102C to

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