ScienceHideout
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Benzene from Phenol
C6H5OH + Zn ---> C6H6 + ZnO
I see multiple sources online that say that simply distilling this will drive the reaction and get benzene, but I cannot seem to find any instructions
or procedures to make this go thru. Perhaps we should do some experimenting!
Phenol is 96 g/mol; benzene is 78; zinc is 65.5
What if we take 9.6 grams of phenol, make it into solution with n-BuOH (because of high boiling point) and add molar excess of zinc, ~10g. What would
happen if we reflux this for 30 minutes, then set up for distillation. Will benzene come over at 80 C? I don't see any benzene/alcohol azeotropes.
Besides- is benzene not insoluble? Maybe we can separate then distill?
Assuming 100% yield, we will get 7.8 g benzene... but because we are human we could probably expect 5 mL, right?
Any insight goes appreciated, thanks!
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plante1999
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You should reflux the phenol without solvent. I remember having read that experiment in an old book about lecture experiments, apparently you heat
zinc dust in a tube and pass hot phenol fumes that condenses in benzene.
I never asked for this.
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ScienceHideout
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Nice input! I would like to try that... just something about liquefied phenol makes me uncomfortable though. I don't know if it is the smell, the
phenol that is left on the glassware, or perhaps the movie "unstoppable" but there must be another way... 
But thanks anyways, Plante!
hey, if you are reading this, I can't U2U, but you are always welcome to send me an email!
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bfesser
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Then post them.
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ScienceHideout
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Wikipedia and yahoo answers 
I know, I know, those don't count... BUT... Wikipedia links to a book...
http://books.google.com/books?id=HEY9AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA199&a... <-Pg 23
EDIT:
http://chem-guide.blogspot.com/2010/04/preparation-of-benzen...
Here is another page
[Edited on 24-2-2014 by ScienceHideout]
hey, if you are reading this, I can't U2U, but you are always welcome to send me an email!
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Zyklon-A
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Wikipedia say's, "Phenol is reduced to benzene when it is distilled with zinc dust or its vapor is passed over granules of zinc at 400 °C:
C6H5OH + Zn → C6H6 + ZnO.
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