CHEMISTRY

LABORATORY REPORT №13

Name: Nurseiit Alibek

Tutor: Dr. Marcin Kosinski

Group: F

Date and session: Monday p.m.

Lab partner’s name: Jakipbekova Meruyert

Title: Analysis of aspirin tablets

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Introduction
Acetylsalicylic acid or also known as aspirin is as antipyretic and analgesic drug. The drugs that
relieve some minor pains are classified as analgesics, whereas the drugs that lower the body
temperature can be classified as antipyretics. It is impossible to have aspirin tablet with 100% of
acetylsalicylic acid, since in order to prevent crumbling the tablet contains a small amount of
binder, which is a chemically inert [1]. That’s why if the tablet contains even a small amount of
binder, the percentage of the acetylsalicylic acid will be less than 100%. However, the main
component of the aspirin is the 2-ethanoyl hydroxybenzoic acid (CH3COOC6H4COOH).
Moreover, in the stomach the acidic conditions do not have any effect on these aspirin tablets,
however, in the intestine the alkaline juice can hydrolyze the aspirin to the salicylate ions and to
the acetate ions. This reaction can be written as follows:

The salicylates can lower the body temperature very quickly; however, they might have some
effect if the temperature of the patient is normal.

Aim
The main purpose of this practical is to determine the percentage of 2-ethanoyl hydroxybenzoic
acid in the aspirin tablets.

Materials and Methods

Procedure
This practical was divided into three parts. They were: analysis of the sodium hydroxide solution
used for the hydrolysis (Part A); hydrolysis of the aspirin (Part B) and estimation of the quantity
of unused sodium hydroxide after the hydrolysis (Part C). In Part A, 25 cm3 of the sodium
hydroxide solution was placed using a safety filler into a 250 cm3 standard flask and was made
up to the mark with water. Then, 25 cm3 of this solution was titrated against 0.100M of standard
hydrochloric acid using phenol red indicator. One rough and two accurate titrations were
performed. All the information was recorded into the logbook. Calculation of the precise
concentration of the sodium hydroxide solution will be shown in the discussion section. In Part
B, three aspirin tablets were weighted. The exact mass of these tablets was recorded and these
tablets were transferred in to the conical flask. After that, 25 cm3 of the aq. sodium hydroxide
was put onto the tablets using the safety filler, then, roughly the same amount of water was
added to this conical flask. The mixture was simmered gently on a tripod and was gauzed over a

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Bunsen burner for 10 minutes in order to hydrolyze the aspirin’s ester group. During that, the
mixture was swirled occasionally. Then, the mixture was left for about 5 minutes in order to
cool. After that, it was transferred in to the 250 cm3 standard flask with repeated washings, and
then this solution was made up to the mark with water and was mixed thoroughly. In Part C, 25
cm3 of the hydrolyzed solution was pipetted into the conical flask. This was titrated against 0.1M
of hydrochloric acid using phenol red indicator. One rough and two accurate titrations were
carried out. All the results were clearly recorded into the logbook.

Results
Table 1. Titration of NaOH with known concentration of HCl

Initial volume (ml) Final volume (ml) Titre (ml)

Rough 0.00 24.6 24.6

Accurate 1 0.00 24.4 24.4

Accurate 2 0.00 24.2 24.2

Accurate 1+ Accurate 2 24.4+24.2

Table 2. Titration of hydrolyzed solution with HCl

Initial volume (ml) Final volume (ml) Titre (ml)

Accurate 1+ Accurate 2 8.20+8.40

Discussion
In order to calculate the precise concentration of the NaOH, this formula can be used:

C1V1=C2V2

C(HCl) x V(HCl) = C(NaOH) x V(NaOH)

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0.1 x 24.3 = C(NaOH) x 25

C(NaOH) = 0.0972 mol/litre (this value is for 25 ml). But we need to know the concentration for
250 ml, so we multiply this value by 10. C(NaOH) = 0.0972 x 10 = 0.972 mol/litre.

The mixture was simmered carefully and gently during the hydrolysis in order to make sure that
there is a complete hydrolysis of all the acetylsalicylic acid in the tablets by the sodium
hydroxide. Also, the student must not boil the solution vigorously, since if the temperature
increases the liquid can spill out from the conical flask. In addition, there should be repeated
washings and these washings should be transferred carefully to the conical flask, in order to
ensure that all the contents, which were hydrolyzed in the flask, were transferred to the standard
flask. The student must try to transfer all the contents to the 250 cm3 standard flask, since any
loss of the hydrolyzed solution will affect the final result causing them to be non-valid. In this
particular practical, I with my partner tried to minimize possible loss of the hydrolyzed solution
by the repeated washings and carefull transfer of it to the standard flask.

In order to calculate the initial mole of NaOH, the precise concentration that was found above
should be used.

n(NaOH)initial = 25 / 1000 x 0.972 = 0.0243 mol

In order to calculate the number of moles remained after the hydrolysis, the mean titre from the
table 2 should be used. Since n(HCl) = n(NaOH)unreacted = 8.3 / 1000 x 0.1 = 8.3 x 10-4 mol.
This number of moles was found for 25 ml, but we need to find for the 250 ml, so we just
multiply it by 10. So, n(NaOH)unreacted = 8.3 x 10-4 x 10 = 8.3 x 10-3 mol.

From this point we know the initial number of moles and unreacted number of moles, so it is not
difficult for us to calculate the number of moles that was used in the hydrolysis.

CH3COOC6H4COOH + 2OH- HOC6H4COO- + CH3COO- + H2O

Initial 0.0243 mol

Reacted x

Unreacted 8.3x10-3 mol

From the number of moles that reacted can be calculated, since

n(NaOH)initial - n(NaOH)reacted = n(NaOH)unreacted

0.0243 – x = 8.3x10-3

x = 0.016 moles of NaOH that was used in the hydrolysis.

Now, the number of moles of the acid can be calculated:

n(NaOH ) 0.016
n(acid) = = = 8 x 10-3 mol (it was divided by two because of the stoichiometric
2 2
coefficient, it is shown in the reaction above)

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Mw(acid) = 180.17 g/mol.

m(acid) = 8 x 10-3 x 180.17 = 1.44 g.

m(tablets) = 1.77 g.

1.44
w(acid) = x 100 = 81.36%
1.77

So, the aspirin contains 81.36% of the salicylic acid. The aspirin may contain other things, such
as chalk (CaCO3), starch or silica (silicon dioxide), since after the dilution there was an insoluble
white solid at the bottom of the flask.

Despite the fact that this result appears to be valid, there might be some errors during this
practical. One of them might be that we could lose some of the hydrolyzed mixture while
pouring it to the standard flask. Another one is the titration, because there might be some errors
while reading the scale on burette. However, in order to minimize such kind of errors, I with my
partner did this experiment very carefully by following all the instructions of the lecturers and
the teacher assistants.

Conclusion
To sum up, during this practical the purity of the aspirin tablets was calculated. The percentage
of the 2-ethanoyl hydroxybenzoic acid in the aspirin is 81.36%. In addition, the aspirin may
contain other substances, such the binder that was mentioned in the introduction, chalk, starch or
silica. This result seems to be valid, since the percentage is nearly the same as actual percentage
of the acid in the aspirin tablets. Possible errors, such as reading the scale on the burette wrongly
or losing some of the mixture, were mentioned in the discussion section. Also, steps to minimize
these errors were stated. Moreover, in order to calculate the precise percentage of the acid and to
make this practical more reliable, more time is needed. In addition, we must be much precise as
possible, since it is very important in the medicine to calculate correctly and take into account
the significant figures.

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References
1) file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/AspAnalysis.pdf

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