Aspirin can be made in the laboratory by reacting acetic anhydride (c4h6o3) with salicylic acid (c7h6o3) to form aspirin (c9h8o4) and acetic acid (c2h4o2). the balanced equation is: c4h6o3+c7h6o3→c9h8o4+c2h4o2.in a laboratory synthesis, a student begins with 5.00 ml of acetic anhydride (density = 1.08 g / ml) and 2.08 g of salicylic acid. once the reaction is complete, the student collects 2.07 g of aspirin. determine the limiting reactant for the reaction?

determine the theoretical yield of aspirin for the reaction?

determine the percent yield of aspirin for the reaction.

Explanation:

C₄H₆O₃ + C₇H₆O₃ → C₉H₈O₄ + C₂H₄O₂

In order to determine the limiting reactant, we need to calculate the moles of each reactant, using their respective molecular weight.

In the case of acetic anhydride we also use its density:

1 mol of acetic anhydride will react with 1 mol of salicylic acid, and because there are more acetic anhydride moles than salicylic acid moles, then salicylic acid is the limiting reactant.

We calculate the theoretical yield and percent yield using the limiting reactant:

The percent yield is calculated using the experimental and the theoretical yield:

2.07 g / 2.71 g * 100% = 76.38%