MadSci Network: Chemistry
Query:

Re: in aspirin synthesis, why does sulphuric acid give alower yield than H3PO4

Date: Thu Apr 13 07:57:41 2006
Posted By: Dan Berger, Faculty Chemistry/Science, Bluffton University
Area of science: Chemistry
ID: 1144507768.Ch
Message:

i am carrying out an experiment where i have to synthesise aspirin but i have been told that a concentrated sulphuric acid catalyst will give alower yield or aspirin than a phosphoric acid catalyst, despite the sulphuric acid being a stronger acid. I wanted to know why this happens.


Sulfuric acid is a strong oxidizer; it tends to chew up organic molecules.

Phosphoric acid is not a strong oxidizer.

However, we still use sulfuric rather than phosphoric acid for some reactions that involve loss of water, because sulfuric acid is also hygroscopic (it absorbs water), and phosphoric acid is not.

Dan Berger


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