Question

multiple choice 1 point
what is the purpose of adding anhydrous sodium sulfate to the organic layer during the extraction of eugenol?
to remove impurities.
to act as a drying agent by removing water.
to catalyze the formation of eugenol.
to increase the solubility of eugenol in the organic solvent.
previous

Explanation:

Anhydrous sodium sulfate is a common drying agent in organic chemistry. It has a strong affinity for water molecules. When added to the organic layer, it absorbs the water present in the layer. This is important because water can interfere with subsequent steps in the extraction process (such as distillation to isolate eugenol). Removing impurities (option A) is usually done by techniques like filtration or washing with a specific solvent. Sodium sulfate does not catalyze the formation of eugenol (eugenol is typically isolated from cloves, not formed in this context, so option C is wrong). It also does not increase the solubility of eugenol in the organic solvent (option D is incorrect as eugenol is already relatively soluble in organic solvents and sodium sulfate's main role is water - removal).

Answer:

B. To act as a drying agent by removing water.