Lab Report

Synthesis of tetramethylammonium triiodide

Date 28/11/2016

Name

Jiravan

Sakamanee

11-03

5861037

Name

Nudcha

Rochananond

11-03

5861083

Name

Nithinan

Yotsakulsate

11-03

5861311

Name

Nathamon

Phunvichardkul

11-03

5861039

Name

Chananan

Sanamchai

11-03

5861014

Summary/abstract
This experiment will synthesis the tetramethylammonium triiodide. Which is the reaction between
tetramethylammonium iodide and iodine yield tetramethylammonium triiodide. While the iodine is
the limiting reagent in this reaction. The result will appearance like the crystal. We combine reactants
with the solution of ethanol and heat it in the fume hood. Then, put the result in the vacuum filtration
and collect the crystals. The result is the tetramethylammonium triiodide 0.67 grams or 2.364 x 10-3
mol. The percent yield of the result is 62.33%.

Objective
The purpose of this experiment is to synthesis the tetramethylammonium triiodide and apply this to
the lesson in class which is about the molar mass of the atoms and molecules.

Introduction
Crystallization is the process which solid are formed where atoms and molecules are
organised and become a crystal. Crystallization is a technique that chemists use to purify chemicals.
This process is done by dissolving both impurities and a compound in a solvent. Solubility is the
major principles for crystallization because compounds are more soluble in hot liquids than cold
liquids. When hot solution cool down, the solute will be less soluble and they will form crystals of
pure compound. We can add hot liquid (solvent) to solid compound to dissolve it. After the solution
gets coo, the solvent can no longer hold the molecules and they will form crystals. While they are
cooling down, each molecule will turn into crystal. After the solutions temperature comes to room
temperature, we can put it in an ice bath to complete the crystallization process.
If you let a crystallization proceed slowly, first, it will start to form crystals at room
temperature and then put it into ice bath. When the temperature is low, the molecules will be less
soluble and they will form crystals (as shown in the picture).

Filtration is a technique that is use to remove solid impurities from solution or isolate them.
The most common types of filtration are gravity and vacuum filtration. In this experiment, we will use
vacuum filtration to isolate solid impurities from solution. Vacuum filtration is used to collect the
solid that we wand which is to collect crystals in a recrystallisation procedure.
In this experiment, we combined tetramethylammonium iodide and iodide to form crystals
using the crystallization and vacuum filtration process. By following the process of crystallization, we
add 0.5g of tetramethylammonium iodide and 0.6g of iodide together and we will get the compound
that we need. Then, we add 12 mL of ethanol, which is our solution, into our compound. After that we
heat it for awhile and then allow the beaker to cool undisturbed. Then, we put it into the ice bath to
cool it down and when it cool down, we will move on to our next process which is filtration. By using
vacuum filtration, we can collect the crystals that we want and use that crystals to calculate the molar
mass and study for our lesson.

Material

Tetramethylammonium iodide 0.5 g

Iodine 0.6 g
95% Ethanol 12 mL
Tetramethylammonium iodide 0.5 g
50 mL Beaker
Stir rod

Hot plate
Fume Hood
Ice bath
Vacuum filtration
Capped vial

Procedure
1. Wear lab coat, goggle and gloves.
2. Add to a 50 mL beaker, tetramethylammonium iodide (0.5g). Use a stirring rod to break up
clumps of Me4N+I-.
3. Add iodine (0.6 g) and 95 % ethanol (12 mL)
4. In the fume hood, gently heat the beaker on a hot plate with stirring for about 10 minutes
until tetramethylammonium iodide has dissolved.
5. Heat at a low temperature to prevent premature crystallization.
6. Remove from the heat and allow the beaker to cool undisturbed. (Agitating the solution can
cause smaller crystals to form which are more difficult to isolate and tend to occlude
impurities)
7. The crystals should form during this time.
8. Once at room temperature, further cooling can be achieved by placing the beaker in an ice
bath for about 10 minutes. Only put the solution on ice if necessary. During this time, set up
the apparatus for suction filtration for filtration and washing of compounds.
9. Using vacuum filtration, collect the crystals and wash them twice with hexanes (27 mL).
10. Air-dry the product and weigh.
11. Hand in a sample, in a capped vial, labelled with your name, the name of compound and the
date to the lab instructor.

Results

Reactant

Product

Chemical Formula

Me4N+I

I2

Me4N+I3-

Amount (gram)

0.50

0.60

0.67

Amount (mol)

2.487 x 10-3

2.364 x 10-3

1.473 x 10-3

Act as

Excess reagent

Limiting reagent

Discussion

In this experiment, tetramethylammonium iodide (Me4N+I-) and Iodine (I2) are the reactants
which will give tetramethylammonium triiodide (Me4N+I3-) as the product of the reaction. These
reactions can write in chemical compound as:
Me4N+I- + I2 = Me4N+I3We use 0.5 grams of tetramethylammonium iodide and 0.6 grams of iodine. The mole of
Me4N I is 2.487 x 10-3 mol and the mole of I2 is 2.364 x 10-3 mol.
+

Our product is 0.67 grams of tetramethylammonium triiodide (Me4N+I3-). The mole of

Me4N+I3- is 1.473 x 10-3 mole.

In a chemical reaction, the limiting reagent is the reactant that determines how much of the
products are made. The other reactants are called excess reagent which is the leftover after the

limiting reagent is completely used up. In this experiment, the mole of Me4N+I3- is
2.487 x 10-3 mol
and the mole of I2 is 2.364 x 10-3 mol. Therefore, the limiting reagent in this experiment is iodine
which has lesser mole of Me4N+I3- then the excess reagent which is tetramethylammonium iodide.
2.364 x 10-3 < 2.487 x 10-3

Theoretical yield is the maximum amount of product that can be produced. In this experiment,
according from the theoretical yield, the expected amount of the product is 1.075 grams which found
by multiply limiting reagent (2.364 x 10-3) with molar mass of product or tetramethylammonium
triiodide (454.9).
2.364 x 10-3 x 454.9 = 1.075 g
rams.

The theoretical yield is the maximum amount of product you would expect from a reaction
based on the amount of limiting reagent. However, chemists dont always obtain the maximum yield.
Therefore, since chemists know that the actual yield is less than the theoretical yield so we report the
actual yield using percent yield. Percent yield is the percentage of the theoretical yield we obtained.
The percent yield is determined by using the following equation:

percent yield =

Actual yield
Theoretical yield

62.33 =

0.67
1.075

x 100 %

x 100

Therefore, our percent yield in this experiment is 62.33%.

This error can happen because of unexpected variables such as wind, gases, etc. It can also be error
because we didnt measure our material exactly as we should. This experiment can be improve by
create the control variable in the experiment to make the result become closer to the amount from the
calculation. For the measuring, we can improve by measure those material exactly according to the
procedure.

Calculations

Weight of crystal: 1.23 g - 0.56g (paper weight) = 0.67g

0.5 g

= 2.487 x 10-3 mol

of Me4N+I-

Me4N+I-; 201.05 g
0.6 g

I2; 253.8 g =
2.364 x 10-3 mol of I2
0.67 g

Me4N+I3-; 454.9 g =
1.473 x 10-3 mole
of product

0.5 g

Me4N+I-; 201.05 g
0.6 g

I2; 253.8 g

1 mol
1 mol

= 2.487 x 10-3 mol of Me4N+I3-

1 mol
2.364 x 10-3 mol of Me4N+I31 mol =

Theoretical yield; 2.364 x 10-3 x 454.9 = 1.075g

0.67 g

Percent yield; 1.075 g x

100 = 62.33%

Conclusion
This lab use tetramethylammonium iodide and iodide to create tetramethylammonium
triiodide and result is mass of actual product is less than the predicted product that we calculated with
62.33% yield.
References
Science, C. (2016). Theoretical yield Percent yield. Retrieved December 06, 2016, from
http://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Chemistry-Concepts-Intermediate/r22/section/12.9/
Khan Academy. (n.d.). Retrieved December 06, 2016, from
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/chemistry/chemical-reactions-stoichiome/limiting-reagent-stoi
chiometry/a/limiting-reagents-and-percent-yield