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My students are performing the classic synthesis and use of Wilkinson's catalyst lab. So far, all the groups have been able to prepare and characterize the catalyst; however, when they attempt to convert the aldehyde (heptaldehyde) into an alkane, it doesn't work. I've consulted every single write-up of this lab (taken from Microscale Inorganic Chemistry by Szafran and Pike) and the students follow the experiment to the letter, but no yellow crystals. Can anyone offer suggestions? Many thanks.
I thought the same thing, so I purchased brand new aldehyde sealed in an ampule. It still didn't work. Should the students be performing this under inert atmosphere conditions? The prep didn't specify that. I've also had students be successful when doing this under a normal atmosphere, just not the last couple of years I've done this experiment.
Jason K. Vohs, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Chemistry Saint Vincent College 300 Fraser Purchase Road Latrobe, PA 15650 Phone: (724) 805-2354 Fax: (724) 805-2554