Ethyl 3-nitrobenzoate is a solid at room temperature.
A chemist prepares ethyl 3-nitrobenzoate as outlined below.
Step 1 12.0 cm312.0\text{ cm}^312.0 cm3 of ethyl benzoate (density =1.05 g cm−3= 1.05\text{ g cm}^{-3}=1.05 g cm−3) is reacted with concentrated nitric acid in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid as a catalyst.
Step 2 The mixture is poured onto ice. Impure crystals of ethyl 3-nitrobenzoate appear.
Step 3 The impure crystals are purified to obtain pure ethyl 3-nitrobenzoate.
The chemist obtains 12.1 g12.1\text{ g}12.1 g of pure ethyl 3-nitrobenzoate.
Outline the mechanism for this reaction, including the role of H2SO4\text{H}_2\text{SO}_4H2SO4 as a catalyst.
Determine the percentage yield of ethyl 3-nitrobenzoate. Give your answer to 3 significant figures.
Describe how to purify the impure crystals in Step 3.
