Chapter 5.4, Problem 1E

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:The reason for diethyl ether to be a good extraction solvent than acetone needs to be explained.

Concept Introduction:

Solvent extraction method is also called as liquid-liquid extraction. It is the method that is used to separate compounds on the basis of their relative solubility in two different immiscible solvents.

Here the immiscible solvents cannot get mixed up together.Therefore,they make two separate layers. In the extraction of a solute from one liquid, another immiscible solvent must be used. Usually water is used with certain organic solvent as organic solvent and water are immiscible into each other.At equilibrium, the solute concentration ratio is constant in each layer which is represented by partition or distribution coefficient. At equilibrium, it is the ratio of the concentration of a substance in one medium (C₁) to the concentration in a second medium (C₂) at equilibrium.

  ${\text{K}}_{\text{d}}\text{ = }\frac{{\text{C}}_{\text{1}}}{{\text{C}}_{\text{2}}}$