You are employed as a coop student at the Drug and Alcohol Testing Association of Canada (DATAC) developing analytical tests for sports doping agents. You are asked to prepare a procedure for the extraction of methylphenidate, the active compound in Ritalin, from urine samples (consider them as simple aqueous layers, you do not need to consider other components!). The goal of the procedure is to extract the methylphenidate into an organic layer which will then be evaporated, and the residue will be tested for the drug.Your colleague is helping you develop the urine test. They suggest that the urine should be adjusted to a pH above 7 before extracting with the organic solvent. Why is this necessary? Support your explanation with a full arrow-pushing mechanism for the reaction that would occur if the pH was below 7. Include all formal charges, intermediates (if applicable) and products.
You are employed as a coop student at the Drug and Alcohol Testing Association of Canada (DATAC) developing analytical tests for sports doping agents. You are asked to prepare a procedure for the extraction of methylphenidate, the active compound in Ritalin, from urine samples (consider them as simple aqueous layers, you do not need to consider other components!). The goal of the procedure is to extract the methylphenidate into an organic layer which will then be evaporated, and the residue will be tested for the drug.Your colleague is helping you develop the urine test. They suggest that the urine should be adjusted to a pH above 7 before extracting with the organic solvent. Why is this necessary? Support your explanation with a full arrow-pushing mechanism for the reaction that would occur if the pH was below 7. Include all formal charges, intermediates (if applicable) and products.
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