More polar solvents (eluents) move molecules more rapidly than less polar solvents. If you used a 1:1 hexanes:methanol mixture as solvent, would you expect the products to elute faster or slower? Based on your experiment, would a 1:1 hexanes:methanol mixture be a good choice as eluent? Explain why/why not

Question

Valerie Gutierrez

Chemistry

21 May, 06:47

More polar solvents (eluents) move molecules more rapidly than less polar solvents. If you used a 1:1 hexanes:methanol mixture as solvent, would you expect the products to elute faster or slower? Based on your experiment, would a 1:1 hexanes:methanol mixture be a good choice as eluent? Explain why/why not

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Answers (1)

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Ciara Ingram · Answer 1

For the first question the products elute slower. The answer to the second question is it would not be a good option as an eluent

Explanation:

Solvents are classified into polar and nonpolar. While in polar solvents, the distribution of the electronic cloud is asymmetric; therefore, the molecule has a positive and a negative pole. Low molecular weight alcohols such as methanol belong to this type.

While in apolar solvents, the distribution of the electronic cloud is symmetric; Therefore, these substances lack a positive and negative pole in their molecules. Some solvents such as hexane.

The miscibility of methanol (polar solvent) in hexane (apolar solvent) is low, miscibility is the main reason for not using this mixture as eluent.