Sodium Hydroxide → Sodium Hydroxide

Participants

Reaction Steps

In a 1-liter reactor vessel, 606.04 g of NaOH solution (containing 50 wt % of NaOH and 50 wt % of water) were mixed with 414.40 g water and 96.70 g of L-tartaric acid. Upon mixing, a mixture comprising 11.2 wt % of disodium L-tartrate, 22.5 wt % of NaOH, and 66.3 wt % of water was obtained. The mixture was heated and was kept at atmospheric boiling conditions under reflux for 26 hours (Tboil˜110° C.), under continuous stirring. A clear solution was obtained. At regular intervals, a sample was taken from the liquid and analyzed by 1H-NMR for meso-tartaric acid, DL-tartaric acid, and acetate content (a distinction between the D and L-enantiomer cannot be made by 1H-NMR).

Provenance & Evidence