Organic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry Laboratory CH 200 (2014 2015) Experiment 1

Distillation to separate Ethanol in water from Ginebra San Miguel

Raymond Michael S. Baladad*, Kenny Bautista, Ayshee Capuchino, Charmaine Chan
Group 2, 3 Bio 3
Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science
University of Santo Tomas, Espana Avenue, Manila

Date Submitted: 8/19/14

Abstract
In the activity, simple and fractional distillation were performed to be able to determine the percent of ethanol in the sample,
Ginebra San Miguel. It is a Dutch type gin made from juniper berries and water that has an alcoholic proof of 80 and ABV
(alcohol by volume) of 40%. 25 ml of gin was used to collect a distillate of 1 ml per test tube until 95C of temperature was
reached. In simple distillation the volume of flammable distillate was 11ml giving a 44 percent of ethanol. In fractional
distillation the volume of flammable distillate was 8.5ml giving a 34 percent of ethanol.
Highlights: Gin, simple distillation, fractional distillation, percent of ethanol
Keywords

Introduction
Distillation is the separation of a substance from a mixture of liquids with different boiling points. The
boiling point is the temperature at which the liquid boils and turn into vapour. It is normally
distinguished with the bubbling of the liquid. The more volatile liquid (the liquid with the lower boiling
point) will usually evaporate first. This method is also used to purify liquids. The process in distillation
mainly involves evaporation and condensation.
Simple distillation is used to separate a liquid in a mixture with one evaporation condensation process.
This procedure is best used in distilling liquids with large differences in their boiling points. It consists
of a distilling flask attached to the distilling head with a thermometer. The distilling head is connected to
a condenser which water constantly passes through. It then leads into a receiver adaptor and lastly to a
test tube (Figure 1.).
Fractional distillation is used to separate two or more liquids in the same mixture. This procedure is best
used when distilling liquids with small differences in their boiling points. It is basically the same as
simple distillation except that the setup includes a fractionating column placed between the distilling
flask and the distilling head (Figure 2).
The components inside the fractionating column are usually glass or plastic beads. These components
improve separation of the liquids being distilled because it provides theoretical plates where the liquid

can condense, re-evaporate and condense again. Liquids that are more volatile (vaporizable) will go
towards the top of the fractionating column while the ones that are less volatile will tend to stay at the
bottom. Through this process it gives a better separation of liquids.
Another fact about the fractionating column is its position in the set-up. It must be positioned vertically
to allow dripping of the condensed liquid down through the rising vapors to allow equilibrium between
the liquid and vapour. For that reason the fractionating column is used in its maximum efficiency and
can give its best separation.

Figure 1 Setup for simple distillation

Figure2 Setup for fractional distillation

Ethanol is a kind of alcohol that is present in alcoholic beverages. It is produced from the fermentation
of carbohydrates in grains and grapes. It is volatile, odorless and colorless. The ethanol has a molecular
formula of CH3CH2OH. It contains a methyl group (CH3), an ethylene group (CH2) and a hydroxyl group
(OH). Ethanol has a boiling point of 78.37 C. The sample beverage, Ginebra San Miguel, has a 40%
ABV or alcohol by volume. It has a flash point 26 C meaning can be ignited in that temperature
(provided with ignition) while the flash point of pure ethanol is 16.60 C. Other fact about ethanol is that
it is also produced to upgrade fuel. It is called Ethanol-enriched fuel or E10 composing of 10%ethanol
and 90% fuel, a kind of high octane fuel. It is said that it produces a cleaner, less harmful car emission
and reduces greenhouse gases that contributes to climate change. As part of fuel it also helps a car
engine to be maintained better.
The task given was to extract ethanol from a commercial alcoholic beverage, Ginebra San Miguel,
through distillation process. The simple distillation method and fractional distillation method were used
to do it. Another is to calculate the percentage of ethanol in each distillation process and to compare
what process is more efficient and is better to use.
Methodology
The setup for simple distillation and fractional distillation (assigned to the group) was assembled.
The distilling flask containing 25 ml of Ginebra San Miguel and the 3 boiling chips were heated with a
Bunsen burner. The task was to collect 0.5ml of distillate in different numbered test tubes and to record
the temperature in every collected test tube. The temperature of the first drop of distillate was also
recorded. The process was stopped when the temperature reached 95C.

To test the flammability of the collected distillate in each test tube it was poured on a watch glass and it
was lit with a direct contact with flame (from matchsticks). When the setup was cooled the remaining
liquid from the distilling flask was poured into a graduated cylinder. The percentage of ethanol was
calculated.
Results and discussion

Table 1 Simple Distillation

The number of test tubes collected in the simple

distillation containing the distillate ethanol was 23
while in the fractional distillation the number of test
tubes collected was 17.
The flammability test is used to know if the distillate
is ethanol or not. Ethanol being a highly flammable
substance since it is alcohol it will be in fire if
ignited with flame. All of the test tubes of distillate
obtained in the fractional distillation showed a
positive reaction meaning it is ethanol. In the simple
distillation only 1 out of 23 test tubes showed a
negative reaction in the test meaning that the
distillate in that test tube (test tube no. 23) is not pure
ethanol or it can be water.
The reaction in the test is considered exothermic
since it releases heat. It is classified as a combustion
reaction since the carbon and hydrogen of the
ethanol is oxidized and becomes bonded to oxygen
producing a carbon dioxide and water.
Tes
CH
+FRACTIONAL
O2

H2O
+
CO2
3CH2OH
t
DISTILLATION
(ethanol)
+ (oxygen)
(water) + (carbon dioxide)
tub
e
1

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

Temperature
C
77.0 (first
drop)
77.7
78.6
79.0
79.0
79.0
79.3
79.6
79.9
80.4
81.1
82.5
83.9
86.3
88.4
91.2
93.7
95.0

Flammabili
ty
+

+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+

Test
tube
1

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23

SIMPLE DISTILLATION
Temperatur Flammabil
e C
ity
75.4 (first
+
drop)
79.0
80.0
+
80.7
+
81.4
+
80.6
+
81.9
+
82.4
+
82.5
+
82.4
+
84.0
+
84.3
+
85.2
+
86.6
+
87.7
+
88.0
+
89.5
+
90.7
+
91.6
+
92.5
+
93.5
+
94.3
+
94.7
+
95.0
-

Table 2 Fractional distillation result

There will be a lot of negative results obtained in

A possible test.
reasonSince
why the
the aim
boiling
in the
the flammability
of process
the
experiment should be stopped in 95C is that if we
experiment is to obtain ethanol it will be
boil more than that there can be a less possibility of
nonsense.
collecting a pure ethanol distillate. If the boiling
process was continued up to 100C (the boiling point
The total number of distillate collected for simple
of water) there is a probability that between 95C to
distillation
is the
11ml
and itsdistillate
percent in
of the
ethanol
is will either
100C
collected
mixture
44% while
in the fractional
distillation
is 8.5ml
be a non-pure
ethanol distillate
or water.
and its percent of ethanol is 34%.

Conclusion:
Basing on the data gathered, the calculation for the percentage of ethanol extracted from Ginebra San
Miguel was 44% for the simple distillation and 34% for the fractional distillation.
Comparing the two methods of distillation fractional distillation is better than the simple distillation.
Basing on efficiency fractional distillation is better since it used less number of test tubes comparing to
the other. The distillate under fractional distillation is better since it produces a purer distillation since it
has undergone a lot of evaporation-condensation in the fractionating column.
Appendix
Volume of alcoholic beverage = 25ml
Volume of flammable distillate= number of test tube x 0.5ml
% ethanol = volume of flammable distillate X100
volume of alcoholic beverage
Simple Distillation
22 test tubes x 0.5ml = 11.5ml volume of flammable distillate
% ethanol = 11.5 ml X100
25ml
= 44%
Fractional Distillation
17 test tubes x 0.5ml = 8.5ml volume of flammable distillate
% ethanol = 8.5 ml X100
25ml
= 34%

References
Retrieved from http://homedistiller.org/theory/theory
Retrieved from http://www.chemhelper.com/distillation.html
Smith, J. G. (2013). General, Organic and Biological Chemistry. (2nd ed.). Avenue of the Americas, New
York: McGraw-Hill
Klein, D (2012). Organic Chemistry. Hoboken NJ: John & Wiley Sons Inc.

Kenkel, J. (2002). Analytical Chemistry for Technicians. (3RD ed.). Boca Raton, Florida. CRC Press