IChO 1974 · Theory problem 4

Mixture of two oxygen-containing organic compounds

A mixture contains two organic compounds, A and B. Both of them have in their molecules oxygen and they can be mixed together in arbitrary ratios. Oxidation of this mixture on cooling yields the only substance C that combines with \(\ce{NaHSO3}\). The ratio of the molar mass of the substance being formed in the reaction with \(\ce{NaHSO3}\) to that of substance C, is equal to 2.7931.

The mixture of substances A and B is burned in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of air (20 % \(\ce{O2}\) and 80 % of \(\ce{N2}\) by volume) in an eudiometer to produce a mixture of gases with a total volume of \(5.432\ \mathrm{dm^3}\) at STP. After the gaseous mixture is bubbled through a \(\ce{Ba(OH)2}\) solution, its volume is decreased by 15.46 %.

Problems:

4.1 Write structural formulas of substance A and B.

4.2 Calculate the molar ratio of substances A and B in the mixture.

\[ A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{C})=12;\qquad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{O})=16;\qquad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{S})=32;\qquad A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{Na})=23. \]

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 4.1 The intended compounds are A: propan-2-ol, \(\ce{CH3CH(OH)CH3}\), SMILES CC(O)C, and B: propan-2-one (acetone), \(\ce{CH3COCH3}\), SMILES CC(=O)C. The labels may be interchanged.
  • 4.2 With these labels, \[ \boxed{n(A):n(B)\approx 1:4.} \] Direct use of the printed percentage gives \(1:3.94\); the simple ratio \(1:4\) reproduces the reported percentage after rounding.

Solution

4.1 — Identification of the compounds

An aldehyde or ketone ordinarily adds one formula unit of sodium hydrogensulfite, \(\ce{NaHSO3}\), SMILES [Na+].[O-]S(=O)O, per carbonyl group, without eliminating another molecule.

Taking \(A_{\mathrm r}(\ce{H})=1\), \[ M(\ce{NaHSO3})=23+1+32+3(16) =104\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \] For a monocarbonyl compound C, \[ \frac{M(C)+104}{M(C)}=2.7931, \] so \[ M(C)=\frac{104}{1.7931} =58.0001\ldots\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}} \approx58.0\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

The ordinary aldehyde and ketone candidates with this molar mass have formula \(\ce{C3H6O}\):

  • Propanal, \(\ce{CH3CH2CHO}\), SMILES CCC=O.
  • Propan-2-one (acetone), \(\ce{CH3COCH3}\), SMILES CC(=O)C.

Under the conventional oxidation conditions intended here, an aldehyde undergoes further oxidation. Propanal would give propanoic acid, SMILES CCC(=O)O: \[ \ce{CH3CH2CHO + [O] -> CH3CH2COOH}. \] Acetone, however, survives mild oxidation. Thus the intended mixture consists of acetone and the secondary alcohol that oxidizes to acetone: propan-2-ol.

Assigning A to propan-2-ol and B to acetone, \[ \ce{CH3CH(OH)CH3 + [O] -> CH3COCH3 + H2O}. \] Here \(\ce{[O]}\) denotes an oxygen atom equivalent supplied by the unspecified oxidant; water has SMILES O. The original acetone remains, so the sole organic product is C = B, acetone. These two liquids are mutually miscible in all proportions.

Acetone forms the bisulfite addition compound: \[ \ce{CH3COCH3 + NaHSO3 <=> (CH3)2C(OH)SO3Na}. \] The product is sodium 2-hydroxypropane-2-sulfonate, SMILES CC(C)(O)S(=O)(=O)[O-].[Na+]. Its formula is \(\ce{C3H7NaO4S}\), and \[ M=3(12)+7+23+4(16)+32 =162\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \] This verifies the stated ratio: \[ \frac{162}{58}=2.793103\ldots\approx2.7931. \]

4.2 — Molar ratio

The balanced combustion equations are \[ \ce{2CH3CH(OH)CH3 + 9O2 -> 6CO2 + 8H2O}, \] \[ \ce{CH3COCH3 + 4O2 -> 3CO2 + 3H2O}. \]

The relevant gases are oxygen, SMILES O=O; nitrogen, SMILES N#N; and carbon dioxide, SMILES O=C=O. Taking the reported STP gas volumes as dry, combustion water is excluded. Because the air is stoichiometric, no oxygen remains: the measured gases are carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

Barium hydroxide removes carbon dioxide: \[ \ce{CO2 + Ba(OH)2 -> BaCO3 v + H2O}. \] Barium hydroxide has formula-unit SMILES [Ba+2].[OH-].[OH-]; barium carbonate has formula-unit SMILES [Ba+2].[O-]C(=O)[O-].

Consequently, \[ V(\ce{CO2})=0.1546(5.432) =0.8397872\ \mathrm{dm^3} \approx0.8398\ \mathrm{dm^3}, \] \[ V(\ce{N2})=5.432-0.8397872 \approx4.592\ \mathrm{dm^3}. \]

Let \(x=n(A)\) and \(y=n(B)\), both in moles. The combustion equations give \[ n(\ce{CO2})=3x+3y,\qquad n(\ce{O2})=\frac92x+4y. \] The air contains four moles of nitrogen per mole of oxygen, so \[ n(\ce{N2})=4\left(\frac92x+4y\right)=18x+16y. \]

Gas volume fractions equal mole fractions at the same temperature and pressure. Therefore, \[ 0.1546 =\frac{3x+3y}{(3x+3y)+(18x+16y)} =\frac{3(x+y)}{21x+19y}. \] Rearranging, \[ 3.2466x+2.9374y=3x+3y, \] \[ 0.2466x=0.0626y, \] and hence \[ \frac{y}{x}=\frac{0.2466}{0.0626}=3.9393\ldots. \]

Thus the printed numbers give \(n(A):n(B)=1:3.94\). To check the intended simple ratio \(1:4\), \[ \frac{V(\ce{CO2})}{V_{\text{total}}} =\frac{3(1+4)}{21+19(4)} =\frac{15}{97}, \] which corresponds to \[ 15.4639\ldots\%=15.46\%\quad\text{after rounding}. \] At the stated total volume, this gives \[ V(\ce{CO2})=\frac{15}{97}(5.432)=0.840\ \mathrm{dm^3}, \] consistent with the absorption data. Therefore, \[ \boxed{n(\text{propan-2-ol}):n(\text{acetone})\approx1:4.} \]

The solution was checked against the official solution.