Suppose a reaction mixture, when diluted with water, afforded 300mL of an aqueous solution of 30 g of the reaction product malonitrile,CH2(CN)2 which is to be isolated by extraction with ether. The solution of malonitrile in ether at room temperature is 20.0 g per 100 mL, and in water is 13.3 g per 100 mL. What weight of malonitrile would be recovered by extraction with (a) three 100 mL portions of ether; (b) one 300-mL portion of ether. Suggestion: For each extraction let x equal the weight extracted into the ether layer. In case (a) the concentration in the ether layer is x/100, and in the water layer is (30-x)/300; the ratio of the quantities is equal to k = 20/13.3.
This is a home work assignment.