FRACTIONAL AND SIMPLE DISTILLATION OF CYCLOHEXANE AND TOLUENE 
                    FROM UNKNOWN SAMPLE Z 
                            
                       Douglas G. Balmer 
                       (T.A. Mike Hall) 
                        Dr. Dailey 
                            
                      Submitted 18 July 2007 
                                                                          Balmer 1 
           Introduction:  The purpose of this experiment is to separate a sample of cyclohexane and toluene 
           of unknown proportions using fractional distillation.  The two components of the mixture are 
           able to be separated because toluene’s boiling point is 30˚C higher than cyclohexane’s boiling 
           point.  Cyclohexane should boil and distil before toluene.  Even though their boiling points are 
           different, it is difficult to isolate each component entirely.  The vapor above the solution that is 
           formed during distillation is not pure.  It is a mixture of cyclohexane and toluene vapors.  The 
           composition of that vapor mixture is dependent upon the solution’s composition according to 
           Raoult’s law which states that the partial vapor pressure (P ) of a component at a specific 
                                                     X
           temperature is equal to the pure vapor pressure (Po ) of that component multiplied by the mole 
                                               X
           fraction (N ) of that component in solution (Eq. 1).   
                   X
                                             P  = Po N                         (1) 
                                              X   X X
                 The purity of each component will increase as the solution is distilled multiple times.  
           Fractional distillation is used because it can complete several little distillations, or theoretical 
           plates, in one distillation.  The purity of each fraction isolated during the distillation is measured 
           using gas-liquid chromatography, GC.  Since each component has a different boiling point and 
           affinity for the liquid stationary phase, each component will have a different response time 
           through the column.  This will result in each component having its own peak.  The area under 
           each peak should be proportional to the amount of each component in the mixture.          
                 A secondary goal of this experiment is to compare the effectiveness of fractional 
           distillation with simple distillation.  This is accomplished by comparing the two graphs of head 
           temperature versus distillate volume.  Since there are two components, the graphs should have 
           two plateaus where relatively pure components with unique boiling points will be collected.  The 
           distillation technique that produces the graph with the two best plateaus will be most effective.    
                                           Balmer 2 
          A minor goal of this experiment is to compare the integrating techniques used to find the 
       area under the GC peaks.  The GC apparatus automatically integrates the area under each curve.  
       A second method uses the mass of the cut-out peaks to find the ratios of the components.  A third 
       method assumes each peak is an isosceles triangle.  Multiplying the height of each peak by one-
       half of the base of each peak would yield relatively accurate areas for each peak.        
                                           Balmer 3 
       Experimental Procedure:  A fractional distillation apparatus was assembled as shown in Figure 1.  
       The neck of the 50mL, round-bottom flask was insulated with several layers of aluminum foil.  
       The fractionating column was packed with steel sponge and then insulated with several layers of 
       aluminum foil.  A 30mL sample of unknown Z was obtained and about 0.5mL was saved in a 
       labeled Erlenmeyer flask for later GC inspection.  The voltage to the Thermowell heater was 
       adjusted so that one drop of distillate formed every one to two seconds.  The first fraction was 
       collected in a 25mL graduated cylinder.  The head temperature was recorded with the first drop 
       of distillate and every 2mL afterwards.  The second fraction was collected in a 10mL graduated 
       cylinder when the change in head temperature rose drastically in comparison to the previous 
       measurements.  The first two fractions were transferred to labeled Erlenmeyer flasks, and the 
       dried 25mL graduated cylinder was used to collect the third fraction when the change in head 
       temperature dropped drastically.  After approximately 1mL of solution was left in the round-
       bottom flask, the heat source was removed and the fractional distillation apparatus was allowed 
       to cool.  The third fraction was transferred to a labeled Erlenmeyer flask.     
                                  
       FIGURE 1  An insulated, fractional distillation apparatus.