Caffeine Extraction and Purification from Coffee
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ScribdTranslationsCaffeine Extraction and Purification from Coffee
Translated by
ScribdTranslationsSUMMARY
The practice was carried out in order to extract caffeine from a commercial product (instant
coffee) using extraction techniques, it was purified through sublimation to obtain a final
product with a lower degree of impurities. Identification and characterization tests were also
carried out for the purine group and the presence of nitrogen, respectively. Knowing that
coffee contains caffeine within its components, this compound could be isolated by means of
a discontinuous liquid-liquid extraction technique; Through a physical process (sublimation) it
could be purified, and through chemical methods identification and characterization tests
were carried out for some components of caffeine that indicate that it really is said
substance. 0.229 g of caffeine were obtained, equivalent to a 17.23% yield. The murexide
test performed gave a result that shows the presence of the purine group, and the alkaline
fusion test showed a result that indicates the presence of nitrogen in the sample.
GOALS:
• Experimentally obtain caffeine from instant coffee, using extraction techniques.
• Choose the solvent system for extraction based on miscibility and K D . • Purify by the
sublimation method.
• Qualitatively determine the presence of nitrogen.
• Identify the isolated product by physical and chemical tests
HYPOTHESIS:
Knowing that coffee contains caffeine within its components, this compound can be extracted
through a discontinuous liquid-liquid extraction technique and purified through sublimation,
and it will also be verified through chemical characterization and characterization methods.
identification that it is the desired compound.
EXPERIMENTAL PART
Materials Reagents.
• 1000 mL ball flask
• Straight coolant. • 50 g of Coffee
• Large universal support. • 15 g CaCO 3
• Water recirculator. • 15 g of celite.
• Three finger forceps. • Ethanol
• Fisher lighter. • Ferrous sulfate.
• Asbestos cloth. • H 2 SO 4
• Metal ring. • Salicylic acid
• Granada balance. • Benzene
• Büchner funnel. • Petroleum ether.
• 2 Erlenmeyer 500 mL • Lead Acetate
• 500 mL Kitazato Flask • Ammonium Hydroxide
• 500 mL test tube. • Chloroform
• Brine
• Calcium chloride.
• 500 or 1000 mL separating funnel. • HNO 3
• 2 beakers of 250 mL. • CHCl 3
• Test tubes • Lead subacetate
• pH test strips • FeCl 3
• Magitel fabric. • Chlorogenic Acid.
• 250 mL ball flask
• Cafeol
• Prussian blue.
• Fisher lighter.
• Furfural.
• Cold finger capacitor. • NaOH
• Three finger forceps. • Metallic sodium.
• Undercut plate. • Caffeine salicylate.
• Thiele tube. • Murexida.
• Porcelain capsule.
FLOWCHARTS
Murexide test A spatula tip of caffeine Add 5 or 6 drops of
-------- was added to a porcelain
(detection of the ------------ concentrated nitric acid
-------- capsule.
purine group ). and stir.
A red-purple color was
In the extraction hood the capsule
formed, which is the ------ Let it cool a little and add ------ was heated slightly with a bunsen
ammonium salt of 3 to 4 drops of
burner until the contents
purpuric acid. ammonium hydroxide.
evaporated almost to dryness.
—
DIAGRAM OF THE APPLIANCES.
Discontinuous [Link] extraction
SIMPLE REFLOW UNDER ANHYDROUS
CONDITIONS
Simple reflux.
Sublimation Purification
Mixed melting point with Thiele tube
RESULTS.
Figure 1: CCF Purity (left) and identity (right).
Figure 2: Characterization test. Murexida test.
Figure 3: Characterization test. Alkaline fusion.
Figure 4: sublimation of caffeine.
Performance calculations.
K = Solubility in the organic phase . 1g / 5.5mL .
D
Solubility in the aqueous phase . 1g / 46mL . = 8.36
Goes
Cn=Co( KdV or + V a
)
n
Cn= Remaining amount of solute in the aqueous phase.
Co= Original amount of solute.
Va = aqueous volume.
Vo=organic volume.
K D = Distribution coefficient.
n = Number of extractions.
Replacing...
Cn= 1.5g( 290mL
)4
(8.36 * 25 mL )+290 mL
Cn= 0.1711g 1.5g-0.1711g= 1.3289g
1.3289g = 100%
0.229g= x x= 17.23%
ANALYSIS OF RESULTS.
The performance obtained in this practice was 17.23%, there are many factors that could
interfere with the result. The first occurred after performing the reflux, since when the
substance was filtered on the magitel cloth, not all of the content came out of the flask, so
some remnant of caffeine could have remained there; Later, in the second vacuum filtration, it
was difficult to carry out the process, since it was taking too long to filter (it may be that the
substance was not too hot), so it was decided to leave a little substance in the flask to due to
lack of time. A determining factor in which the greatest loss could have arisen was when the
4 extractions were carried out, after carrying out each extraction and separating the organic
phase from the aqueous phase, a small portion of the organic phase was lost because it was
not closed. the stopcock of the separating funnel at the exact moment to not let the
substance of interest pass through. The same thing happened with the brine washes carried
out immediately after the extractions; in each wash, a small fraction of the extract was lost.
After that, the sublimation method was carried out to purify the caffeine with the help of a cold
finger condenser, to which the caffeine adhered after applying heat to the ball flask; When the
condenser was extracted, it was inevitable that it would come into contact with the walls of
the flask, causing part of the caffeine stuck to the condenser to remain inside the ball flask,
even though this procedure was carried out 3 times to obtain the greatest amount possible.
Note that there were remnants inside the flask, and even if the sublimation had continued, the
caffeine would never be completely extracted due to the aforementioned event.
The performance could have been higher if the substance had been warmer at the time of
vacuum filtration, since the colder it is, the longer it takes to filter. The washing and extraction
processes carried out in the separatory funnel can be improved with practice, since this is a
personal error that cannot be resolved in a short period of time. Sublimation is a purification
method, but based on previous experiments it can be noted that it is not the best, and the
yields are not high enough compared to those obtained in other techniques, such as
distillation or crystallization.
Despite having a low yield, what was obtained was clearly a pure substance, and it was
verified with the purity TLC, where a good separation was observed with methanol as eluent.
In this test (figure 1) it is observed that only one component is separated, which is an
indication of purity. In TLC as an identity test, a reference standard provided by the teacher
was used, and when doing the test with a 1:1 ethanol-methanol mixture as eluents, it is
observed that the three samples traveled the same distance, which indicates that the test
sample and the reference standard are the same.
When the murexide test was performed (Figure 2), a clear red color was formed, which
indicates the presence of the purine group in the treated sample. In the alkaline fusion
characterization test it was also positive for the presence of nitrogen, since the expected
Prussian blue was formed.
CONCLUSION
Extraction is a method that allows a compound to be separated from a substance, whether in
a solid or liquid state, to an aqueous phase, which is generally an organic solvent.
Furthermore, it was proven that sublimation is a process that allows substances to be
purified, although it is not as effective as other methods, since the yields are low and it also
has the restriction that only the compound that is desired to be obtained has the ability to
sublimate and the impurities no.
The characterization and identification tests yield results that help to deduce that the
extracted and purified substance is really the one being talked about. It cannot be said
specifically from the tests that it is the indicated substance, which is why more tests are
carried out. such as thin layer chromatography and mixed melting point to conclude with
certainty that the problem sample was really what was expected.
In general, there are many aspects in which it can be improved to carry out this
practice or similar practices in the future. One of the most important observations is to
change the sublimation technique for the crystallization technique, since it will give better
yields and is simpler.
References
• Dominguez XA. Experimental organic chemistry. Mexico: Limusa;1982.
• Durst HD. Experimental organic chemistry. Spain: Editorial Reverté, SA; 1985.
• Brewster RQ. Experimental organic chemistry course. Alhambra: Prentice Hall
International; 1974.
• White PF. Chemistry laboratory manual. Mexico: Salamanca; 1983.
• Keese R, Müller R, Toube T. Laboratory Methods for Organic Chemistry.
Mexico: Limusa;1990
Common questions
Powered by AITo confirm the identity of the extracted caffeine, several tests were conducted: the murexide test and the alkaline fusion characterization. The murexide test resulted in a red-purple color, indicating the presence of the purine group, while the alkaline fusion test showed positive results for nitrogen presence as evidenced by the formation of Prussian blue. These were complemented by thin layer chromatography (TLC), confirming that the sample and reference standard traveled the same distance, verifying the identity of caffeine .
The primary challenges included the loss of material during simple reflux, difficulties in vacuum filtration due to suboptimal temperatures, loss of organic phase during extractions due to incomplete closing of the separating funnel, and inefficiencies during sublimation when caffeine adhered to condenser walls. These factors cumulatively resulted in a low yield of 17.23%, as some caffeine was retained in apparatus and some was lost during various stages .
Sublimation was only moderately effective in purifying the extracted caffeine, as it yielded a relatively low 17.23% and was prone to losses during the process. Despite producing a pure substance, sublimation is noted for its inefficiency compared to other methods such as distillation or crystallization. The latter was suggested as a better alternative due to its potentially higher yields and simplicity .
Several improvements were suggested: optimizing temperature during vacuum filtration to prevent loss due to slow processing; enhancing the skill and precision during liquid-liquid extractions to minimize loss; and replacing sublimation with crystallization as the purification method, as crystallization could offer better yields and is less complex. These suggestions aim to improve both the yield and purity of caffeine extraction .
Caffeine was isolated from instant coffee using discontinuous liquid-liquid extraction. This method was chosen because it allows caffeine, which is soluble in certain organic solvents, to be separated from other coffee components which are typically water-soluble. The choice of the solvent system was based on miscibility and distribution coefficient (K D), ensuring effective separation of caffeine into the organic phase from the aqueous phase .
Improving vacuum filtration during caffeine isolation can be achieved by ensuring the mixture remains adequately warm, reducing viscosity, and speeding up the filtration process. Additionally, using pre-heated equipment and optimizing the filtration apparatus setup could help prevent loss due to slow processing. Efficient water management during vacuum filtration is also crucial to maintain consistent flow rates and minimize clogging and losses .
The murexide test is instrumental in verifying the presence of the purine group, a core component of caffeine. Conducted by adding a tip of caffeine to a porcelain capsule, followed by drops of concentrated nitric acid, the formation of a red-purple color denotes the ammonium salt of purpuric acid. Further ammonia addition results in a color change, confirming purine presence. This test helps confirm the identity of caffeine as a purine-containing compound .
Crystallization is favored over sublimation for purifying caffeine because it generally results in higher yields and is simpler to execute. Unlike sublimation, which can result in significant material loss due to adhesion to equipment, crystallization allows for more controlled and selective solidification of the desired compound from a solution. It also doesn't require the compound to have sublimation capabilities, unlike sublimation, making crystallization more universally applicable .
The rationale for using thin layer chromatography (TLC) was to assess the purity and identity of the isolated caffeine. TLC was used as both a purity and identity test. In the purity test, methanol as eluent showed good separation indicating purity. In the identity test, a 1:1 ethanol-methanol mixture was used, showing that the extracted sample and reference standard traveled the same distance, thereby confirming the extracted caffein's identity .
The distribution coefficient (K D) is crucial in determining the efficiency of the liquid-liquid extraction process. It represents the solubility ratio of a compound between the organic phase and the aqueous phase. A higher K D value facilitates greater transfer of caffeine to the organic phase, thus improving extraction efficiency. In this experiment, the calculated K D influenced the choice of the solvent system, ensuring an effective separation and isolation of caffeine from other coffee components .