OXIDATION OF ETHYLBENZENE: PREPARATION OF PHENYLACETIC ACID

Transfer:
3.75 grams of potassium permanganate (23.73mmol)
1.44mL of ethylbenzene (1.2485g 11.76mmol)
50 mL of water (2778mmol)
8.5 mL of 6 M NaOH (51mmol)
stir bar.
to a round bottomed flask.

Set up a simple reflux and heat to boiling with stirring for an hour and a half.
At the end of the reflux period turn off the heating but not the stirring.
Carefully remove the round bottomed flask from the heating mantle. Allow the solution
to cool to the point that it is no longer refluxing.
Carefully remove the condenser and turn off the water.
Now, with stirring add small amounts of sodium bisulfite.
Your mission here is to remove the excess permanganate (a water-soluble, purple ion)
by converting it to manganese dioxide. (a brownish black water-insoluble solid)
You should do this by scooping in small portions of bisulfite and stirring briefly.
You are likely to see some funky color changes (gunky greenish amidst black and
purple followed by all brownish black). When you think you have removed all the
permanganate you are to turn off the stirrer and let the gunk settle. If the liquid above
the gunk is colorless you are done, if not, let’s do it again.
When all the permanganate is dead, we will remove it by vacuum filtration.
It will hold the manganese dioxide while the solution filters
Discard the solid.
Pour the solution into a beaker and add HCl to it until benzoic acid precipitates.
Cool in ice
In order to dry as much as possible you should press the solid out with another filter
paper.
Weigh your product and turn it in.