Given the following equation, what would be the theoretical yield in grams of acetylsalicylic acid (C9H8O4) that can be produced from the reaction between 2.0 g of salicylic acid (C7H6O3) and 8.0 g of acetic anhydride (C4H6O3)

mass of C9H8O4  = 2.61 g

Explanation:

Firstly, we write the chemical equation of the reaction and we balance it.

C7H6O3  = salicylic acid

C4H6O3 =  acetic anhydride

C9H8O4) = acetylsalicylic acid

C7H6O3 + C4H6O3 → C9H8O4 + C2H4O2

We need to get the limiting reactant

molar mass of C7H6O3  = 138.1 g

moles  =  2 / 138.1  = 0.01448225923 moles

molar mass of C4H6O3  = 102.1 g

moles = 8 / 102.1  = 0.07835455435  moles

molar mass of C9H8O4 = 180.2 g

The limiting reactant is C7H6O3 and it will be used to determine the yield of C9H8O4 .

if 138.1 g of  C7H6O3  produces  180.2 g of C9H8O4

2 g of  C7H6O3 will produce ? grams of C9H8O4

cross multiply

mass of C9H8O4 = 180.2 × 2/ 138.1

mass of C9H8O4 = 360.4 /138.1

mass of C9H8O4 = 2.60970311369

mass of C9H8O4  = 2.61 g

empirical formula = C3H7

molecular formula = C6H14