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Mr B's Teaching shop

Chemistry specialist and science teacher, currently working in international schools with the Cambridge and IB curriculums

Chemistry specialist and science teacher, currently working in international schools with the Cambridge and IB curriculums
Fischer Esterification practical
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Fischer Esterification practical

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Worksheet for the synthesis of octyl acetate. Turn the smell of mothballs and vinegar into grapefruit! This is an undergraduate lab but if you have access to quick fit distillation apparatus and fume cupboards, it is perfectly doable at 16+ Great for a club or with Alevel students as a practical demonstrtaion of their organis chemistry knowledge. A fume cupboard is essential unless you want to stink out the whole department! Note - I forgot that esters are fantastic at dissolving plastics before doing this with students for the first time… stored their product in plastic vials that were completely destroyed… do not make the same mistake!