[gradu8in2003]

Hi everyone! I have two questions...

The first is ... if we assume that ketone formation proceeds more rapidly (acetone from isopropanol) than the carboxylate salt (1-pentanol to pentanoic acid) and that it is a less exothermic reaction, and both reactions proceed in a single step, are the reactions unimolecular or bimolecular?

I am thinking bimolecular, just by association (we didn't go over this stuff in class, but MCAT prep has me somewhat familiar with SN1 and SN2, and "single step" made me think of SN2 and bimolecular)...


What is the expected mole ratio of the distillate upon collecting the first few drops and does this show more or less concentration of the acetone?
          My calculations to this point: mole fraction H2O, liq = 0.923 mol
                                                  mole fraction acetone, gas = .0552 mol
                                                 mole fraction acetone, liq = .0769 mol

What are we looking for in this question, exactly? (Our distillate was supposed to be pure acetone, if that helps anyone..) Am I trying to see how much more concentrated the liquid is than the gas? If so, why did the example in class (of methanol, liquid and gas) say the gas was more concentrated than the liquid? Which way should it be?

Thank you all so very much!