Hi guys!
This is my first post here, so I hope I am doing this right..
We have recently done an experiment called "Reaction between Tert-Butyl chloride and water" as part of our "Reactions kinetics"-course. In the experiment we dissolved 99 mL of water into a 0,1 M solution of Tert-Butyl chloride (the solvent was acetone). We then meassured the electrical conductivity every 15th second in 3 min. I have done all calculations, gotten good results and basically made a good report
However, I don't feel that I have understood the underlying ideas of the expirement. For instance why is Tert-Butyl chloride dissolved in acetone? - I've read the Chloride isn't soluble in acetone, that water and acetone are miscible and that Tert-Butyl chloride isn't very soluble in water.
So my question are:
1)
If Tert-Butyl chloride isn't very soluble in water, how come the chloride is carried away, when dissolved in water?
2)
If chloride isn't soluble in acetone, it must be dissolved in the water. If so, the reaction must look like so:
Cl
- + H
2O --> HCl (aq) + OH
-. But then the hydroxide ion is conductive as well. So then how should I calculate from conductivity to concentration of HCl?
3)
How can I be sure that the reaction only is one way:
C
4H
9Cl + H
2O --> C
4H
9OH + HCl and not
C
4H
9Cl + H
2O <-- C
4H
9OH + HCl ?
Thank you so much for helping me!
dane502