The Separation and Identification of some Organic Compounds Extracted from the Plant Pelea Antsata

Abstract

The analysis of organic compounds usually involves the separation of the substances present in the sample and subsequent identification or structural determination of the substances present. For example, one of the classical methods for separating mixtures of compounds is by vacuum distillation. The classical methods for identification is by melting points of mixtures with known compounds together with a process called selective degradation. In selective degradation, chemical means are employed to convert the unknown substance into known compounds. This is done by breaking up the molecule into smaller pieces. The structure of the unknown is then determined by the natures of the known compounds and the reactions involved. These methods are both tedious and time-consuming.