Steam Distillation of Eugenol Essay Example for Free

Steam Distillation of Eugenol EssayIntroduction This experiment involves an extraction of a natural product using the techniques of steam distillment. The principle component of vegetable oil of cloves is an aromatic compound, which is identified by thin layer chromatography (TLC).Eugenol is widely used in dentistry, due to its analgesic, antiseptic balsamic qualities. It is ideal for curative for pulp hyperaemia (the soft, sensitive substance underneath the enamel and dentine of a tooth) and pulp its. In dentistry eugenol is overly used to cover cavities, fill canals, etc. It also keeps food fresh and kills off bacteria and viruses. Eugenol helps keep meat fresh and prevents stomach upset, diarrhea, and wound infections. In addition, it might play a part in relieving indigestion, controlling diarrhea, and healing cuts and bites.Eugenol is the main active ingredient in cloves.Procedure1. In a 250 mL round bottom flask, place 10.0g of ground cloves and 80 mL of water. Set up f or a simple distillation2. Heat to boiling and collect the distillate until you no longer see droplets of organic melted coming out of the condenser (about 40 minutes).3. Place the distillate in a separatory funnel and extract with three 10 mL portions of Dichloromethane4. join the dichloromethane extracts and dry over Sodium Sulfate.5. Examine the purity of the extract using thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Spot a small sample of the extract using a capillary spotter about 1 cm from the end of TLC plate.6. Visualize using a UV light and mark the visualized spy with a pencil.7. Record the number of spots and the Rf values from the spot(s).8. While the plate is developing set up a clean and dry distillation set up and distil off most of the dichloromethane solvent.9. The remaining solution of Eugenol in Dichloromethane can be removed using a disposable pipette and placed into a clean pre-weighted vial.10. The vial can be heated on a steam bath under the cowl to remove the small a mount of dichloromethane.11. The pure Eugenol should be weighted to determine the percent oil recovered based on the mass of cloves originally used.Results minginess of Eugenol 1.34 g/mLBP of Eugenol 40CInitial mass of Eugenol 18.545 gMass of vial 18.0063 gMass of Eugenol Oil 18.434 g% Recovery= (18.545 g 18.434 g)/18.434 x 100 = 0.602%Thin layer chromatographyRf=(Distance substance moved/Distance solvent moved)Rf=(4.2/5.1)Rf=(.824)ConclusionThe experiment was successful in that we did isolate eugenol as proven by thin layer chromatography. Our Rf value was somewhat high. This is probably because the beaker with the chloroform was not 100 % closed during the m we did the thin layer chromatography. Our watch glass was not 100% efficient. Also when we were heating the liquid in the condenser, heating the liquid at a footstep too high could cause excess materials to come out in the final product.Other than that, human error is a concern. This can be lessen by careful observation, a nd proper procedure. Still, our percent error was under 1 percent, which is very favorable.