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Lab I:
TLC Analysis of Analgesic Drugs
Pre-lab
Work
Reading
Assignment:
- Thin-Layer Chromatography
Mohrig, Technique 15, pp.177-189 & Appendix
Experimental Work Objectives:
- To resolve mixtures
of unknown commercial painkillers using TLC.
- To identify the
individual components of each unknown mixture and to identify the unknown
commercial painkillers.
Experimental
Procedure
Perform the procedure for Thin
Layer Chromatography as described in the Appendix.
Table 1: Commercial painkillers and their components
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Components
of Commercial Painkillers (Standards)
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Acetaminophen
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Aspirin
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Caffeine
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Ibuprofen
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Anacin
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X
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X
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Bufferin
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X
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Excedrin
(extra-strength)
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X
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X
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X
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Tylenol
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X
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Motrin
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X
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Molecular
Structure
of
the
compounds |
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Printable version of Table 1
Post-lab
- Draw the
structures for each of the three analgesics and caffeine. (Complete
Table 1)
[See Mohrig, Technique 4, pp. 34-38. Reference
the source for the structures of these compounds.]
- What were the
unknown commercial painkillers and what are the individual components
in each?
- Knowing how the
individual components of the painkillers were separated on the TLC plate,
what do you know about how they differ in polarity?
- Discuss any errors
in your experiment and state what you would do differently if you were
to do this lab again.
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