Hypothesis:
I believe that 1 butanol will be primary because when reacted with KMnO it will create a aldehyde and then a carboxylic acid, 2 butanol will be secondary because when reacted with KMnO it will create a ketone and then no reaction, and t- butyl will be tertiary because when reacted with KMnO it will create no reaction.
Materials:
- 1 butanol,
- 2 butanol
- t- butyl alcohol
- 0.01mol/L KMnO solution
- 1 mol/L HSO
- Distilled water
- 5 test tubes with stoppers
- Droppers
- Stopwatch or clock
Procedure:
1. 3ml of KMnO, 3ml water and 2 ml acid was placed in a test tube. This mixture did not oxidize quickly. This was used as a standard to compare the color of the other test tubes.
2. Each of the following mixtures was placed one at a time in test tubes.
- Test tube 1:3ml KMnO, 3ml 2 butanlo, 2 ml acid
- Test tube 2:3 ml KMnO, 3 ml 1- butanol, 2ml acid
- Test tube 3:3 ml KMnO, 3ml t-butyl, 2ml; acid
3. A stopper was placed in each test tube, and was shoked the test tube gently to mix the contents. Then recording the reaction time for each mixture was done. The change in the color to determine if a reaction has taken place was done.
4. Disposed of the mixtures as directed by your teacher was the last thing needed to be done.
Observation:
Analysis:
The alcohols that reacted with the potassium permanganate KMnO was 1 and 2 butanol. 1 butanol was a primary alcohol which had a reaction time of 44 seconds and started with a primary alcohol then went to an aldehyde and finally a carboxylic acid. The 2 butanol was a secondary alcohol which had a reaction time of 37 seconds and stared with a secondary alcohol then went to a ketone and then no reaction. The alcohol that did not react with KMnO was t- butyl because it was a tertiary alcohol which has no reaction. The fastest reaction of the alcohols where first the t-butyl with 27 second and no reaction, then 2 butanol with 37 seconds and did have a reaction, then 2 butanol with the longest reaction with 44 seconds.
Discussion:
In conclusion the alcohol which reacted the fastest was the t- butyl with a reaction of about 27 but still stayed dark purple and then not much change followed it because it was a tertiary alcohol which has no reaction. The alcohol which reacted the second fastest was the 2 butanol with a reaction of 37. This reaction started at 8 seconds then turned light purple, 37 seconds turned brown then I ml of a clear layer on top with a reddish copper brown showed up. This agent was a secondary alcohol that has a ketone and then no reaction. The last alcohol that reacted the slowest was the 1 butanol with a reaction time of 44. this reaction started at 4 second turned light pink then changed to light purple and then looked almost red, 11seconds it turned copper brown, at 17 seconds turned a nasty brown, 30 seconds three layers formed, at 44 seconds 4 layers came to be and it turned a light brown on top dark brown in the middle and light brown on bottom. This agent was a primary alcohol with a reaction of an aldehyde then a carboxylic acid.
In this experiment there are possible sources of errors. The first possible source of error could be when adding the drops of acid or any type of solution required there could be more drops coming out of the stoppers than needed. A way to fix this problem for next time is to be careful when adding the drops in the tests tubes.
Second possible source of error could be when not stopping the stop watches at the right time when the test tubes reactions are done. A way to fix this problem is for next time to be more alert and watch for the solution to be finished and stop it on time.
Third possible source of error could be when thinking the solution was done and ending up stopping the reaction type with the stop watch. A way to fix this problem for next time is to make sure and waiting a little longer after thinking the solution is done to record the final results.
Conclusion:
In conclusion my hypothesis was right. 1 butanol did end up being the primary alcohol, the 2 butanol ended up being the secondary alcohol and the t- butyl was the tertiary alcohol. The time of reaction for all were as presented for each alcohol. Primary alcohol was the longest to react, then the secondary was second and the tertiary had the shortest reaction time.
