What is a primary purpose of TLC in organic chemistry?

In organic chemistry, the primary purpose of Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) is to assess the purity of a compound. This technique works by separating the components of a mixture based on their different affinities for the stationary phase (the TLC plate) and the mobile phase (the solvent used to elute the compounds). When a sample is applied to a TLC plate and developed, the distinct spots or bands that appear correspond to different substances within the sample.

By analyzing the number of spots and their relative intensities, chemists can evaluate how many components are present in the sample and whether impurities are present. A pure compound will typically produce a single spot, while a mixture or impure compound will show multiple spots. Additionally, TLC can be used to compare the Rf values (the ratio of the distance traveled by the compound to the distance traveled by the solvent front) of the sample with known standards to help identify the compound.

Other options do not accurately reflect the primary role of TLC. Determining boiling points, filtering solid impurities, and driving chemical reactions are tasks handled by other techniques and methods in organic chemistry, such as distillation or filtration, rather than TLC.