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I was always sure that water was excluded from the equilibrium expression. However, I came across a question in the Princeton Review hyperlearning science workbook that kind of confused me.
The passage stated that" In an experiment, 4 mixtures containing different ratios of pure acetaldehyde and ethylene glycol were allowed to react in toulene (using 1.0 mL of sulfuric acid as a source of a catalytic amount of H+ to initiate the reaction) and come to equilibrium."
The question asked, "What is the equilibrium expression for the acetal reaction"? and they listed this as the correct answer: [acetal] [H2O]/ [CH3CHO]*[HOCH2CH2OH] stating that water is not the solvent here; this is the toulene solution.
In addition, if the toulene solution is included in the expression, why is it not considered a reactant?
Could someone clarify what is going on? Many thanks!
The passage stated that" In an experiment, 4 mixtures containing different ratios of pure acetaldehyde and ethylene glycol were allowed to react in toulene (using 1.0 mL of sulfuric acid as a source of a catalytic amount of H+ to initiate the reaction) and come to equilibrium."
The question asked, "What is the equilibrium expression for the acetal reaction"? and they listed this as the correct answer: [acetal] [H2O]/ [CH3CHO]*[HOCH2CH2OH] stating that water is not the solvent here; this is the toulene solution.
In addition, if the toulene solution is included in the expression, why is it not considered a reactant?
Could someone clarify what is going on? Many thanks!