Calculating the Mass of Aspirin Produced

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 136 views

What Mass of Aspirin is Produced from a Given Reaction?

Introduction

Aspirin, a widely used medication for pain relief and anti-inflammatory purposes, is synthesized through a chemical reaction involving salicylic acid and acetic anhydride. In this article, we will explore the process of calculating the mass of aspirin produced from a given reaction, assuming a 95.0% yield.

The Chemical Reaction

The chemical reaction for the synthesis of aspirin is as follows:

${C_7 H_6 O_3(s) + C_4 H_6 O_3(l) \rightarrow C_9 H_8 O_4(s) + HC_2 H_3 O_2(l)}$

In this reaction, salicylic acid ( ${C_7 H_6 O_3}$ ) reacts with acetic anhydride ( ${C_4 H_6 O_3}$ ) to produce aspirin ( ${C_9 H_8 O_4}$ ) and acetic acid ( ${HC_2 H_3 O_2}$ ).

Calculating the Mass of Aspirin Produced

To calculate the mass of aspirin produced, we need to determine the number of moles of salicylic acid used in the reaction. We are given 57.6 g of salicylic acid, and we need to calculate the number of moles of aspirin produced.

First, we need to calculate the molar mass of salicylic acid:

${M_{C_7 H_6 O_3} = 7 \times 12.01 \, \text{g/mol} + 6 \times 1.008 \, \text{g/mol} + 3 \times 16.00 \, \text{g/mol}}$ ${M_{C_7 H_6 O_3} = 84.07 \, \text{g/mol} + 6.048 \, \text{g/mol} + 48.00 \, \text{g/mol}}$ ${M_{C_7 H_6 O_3} = 138.12 \, \text{g/mol}}$

Next, we can calculate the number of moles of salicylic acid used in the reaction:

${n_{C_7 H_6 O_3} = \frac{m_{C_7 H_6 O_3}}{M_{C_7 H_6 O_3}}}$ ${n_{C_7 H_6 O_3} = \frac{57.6 \, \text{g}}{138.12 \, \text{g/mol}}}$ ${n_{C_7 H_6 O_3} = 0.416 \, \text{mol}}$

Since the reaction is a 1:1 ratio, the number of moles of aspirin produced is also 0.416 mol.

Now, we need to calculate the molar mass of aspirin:

${M_{C_9 H_8 O_4} = 9 \times 12.01 \, \text{g/mol} + 8 \times 1.008 \, \text{g/mol} + 4 \times 16.00 \, \text{g/mol}}$ ${M_{C_9 H_8 O_4} = 108.09 \, \text{g/mol} + 8.064 \, \text{g/mol} + 64.00 \, \text{g/mol}}$ ${M_{C_9 H_8 O_4} = 180.15 \, \text{g/mol}}$

Finally, we can calculate the mass of aspirin produced:

${m_{C_9 H_8 O_4} = n_{C_9 H_8 O_4} \times M_{C_9 H_8 O_4}}$ ${m_{C_9 H_8 O_4} = 0.416 \, \text{mol} \times 180.15 \, \text{g/mol}}$ ${m_{C_9 H_8 O_4} = 74.83 \, \text{g}}$

However, we are given that the yield of the reaction is 95.0%, so we need to multiply the mass of aspirin produced by this factor:

${m_{C_9 H_8 O_4} = 74.83 \, \text{g} \times 0.95}$ ${m_{C_9 H_8 O_4} = 71.08 \, \text{g}}$

Therefore, the mass of aspirin produced from 57.6 g of salicylic acid, assuming a 95.0% yield, is 71.08 g.

Conclusion

In this article, we have calculated the mass of aspirin produced from a given reaction, assuming a 95.0% yield. We have used the chemical reaction for the synthesis of aspirin and calculated the number of moles of salicylic acid used in the reaction. We have then calculated the mass of aspirin produced and multiplied it by the yield factor to obtain the final answer.

References

"Aspirin Synthesis". Organic Chemistry Portal.
"Salicylic Acid". Wikipedia.
"Acetic Anhydride". Wikipedia.

Keywords

Aspirin
Salicylic acid
Acetic anhydride
Yield
Molar mass
Moles
Mass
Aspirin Synthesis Q&A

Introduction

Aspirin, a widely used medication for pain relief and anti-inflammatory purposes, is synthesized through a chemical reaction involving salicylic acid and acetic anhydride. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions about the synthesis of aspirin.

Q: What is the chemical reaction for the synthesis of aspirin?

A: The chemical reaction for the synthesis of aspirin is as follows:

${C_7 H_6 O_3(s) + C_4 H_6 O_3(l) \rightarrow C_9 H_8 O_4(s) + HC_2 H_3 O_2(l)}$

Q: What is the role of salicylic acid in the synthesis of aspirin?

A: Salicylic acid ( ${C_7 H_6 O_3}$ ) is the starting material in the synthesis of aspirin. It reacts with acetic anhydride ( ${C_4 H_6 O_3}$ ) to produce aspirin ( ${C_9 H_8 O_4}$ ) and acetic acid ( ${HC_2 H_3 O_2}$ ).

Q: What is the role of acetic anhydride in the synthesis of aspirin?

A: Acetic anhydride ( ${C_4 H_6 O_3}$ ) is the reagent in the synthesis of aspirin. It reacts with salicylic acid ( ${C_7 H_6 O_3}$ ) to produce aspirin ( ${C_9 H_8 O_4}$ ) and acetic acid ( ${HC_2 H_3 O_2}$ ).

Q: What is the yield of the reaction?

A: The yield of the reaction is 95.0%. This means that 95.0% of the aspirin produced is recovered from the reaction.

Q: How do I calculate the mass of aspirin produced?

A: To calculate the mass of aspirin produced, you need to determine the number of moles of salicylic acid used in the reaction. You can then calculate the number of moles of aspirin produced and multiply it by the molar mass of aspirin to obtain the mass of aspirin produced.

Q: What is the molar mass of aspirin?

A: The molar mass of aspirin ( ${C_9 H_8 O_4}$ ) is 180.15 g/mol.

Q: What is the molar mass of salicylic acid?

A: The molar mass of salicylic acid ( ${C_7 H_6 O_3}$ ) is 138.12 g/mol.

Q: How do I calculate the number of moles of salicylic acid used in the reaction?

A: To calculate the number of moles of salicylic acid used in the reaction, you need to divide the mass of salicylic acid used by its molar mass.

Q: What is the chemical formula for aspirin?

A: The chemical formula for aspirin is ${C_9 H_8 O_4}$ .

Q: What is the chemical formula for salicylic acid?

A: The chemical formula for salicylic acid is ${C_7 H_6 O_3}$ .

Q: What is the chemical formula for acetic anhydride?

A: The chemical formula for acetic anhydride is ${C_4 H_6 O_3}$ .

Q: What is the chemical formula for acetic acid?

A: The chemical formula for acetic acid is ${HC_2 H_3 O_2}$ .

Conclusion

In this article, we have answered some frequently asked questions about the synthesis of aspirin. We have covered the chemical reaction, the role of salicylic acid and acetic anhydride, the yield of the reaction, and how to calculate the mass of aspirin produced.

References

"Aspirin Synthesis". Organic Chemistry Portal.
"Salicylic Acid". Wikipedia.
"Acetic Anhydride". Wikipedia.

Keywords

Aspirin
Salicylic acid
Acetic anhydride
Yield
Molar mass
Moles
Mass
Chemical reaction
Synthesis