What is the theoretical yield of isopentyl acetate when starting with 1.5 mL of isopentyl alcohol, 2.0 mL of concentrated acetic acid, and 0.4 mL of concentrated phosphoric acid?

To calculate the theoretical yield of isopentyl acetate from isopentyl alcohol and acetic acid, we need to perform stoichiometric calculations based on the reactants' volumes and their respective densities. The key is to identify the limiting reactant, which determines the maximum amount of product that can be formed.

First, determine the moles of isopentyl alcohol (C5H12O) and acetic acid (C2H4O2). Assuming that the density of isopentyl alcohol is approximately 0.81 g/mL and that of acetic acid is about 1.05 g/mL, we can convert the volumes of each reactant to grams and then to moles.

For isopentyl alcohol: 1.5 mL x 0.81 g/mL = 1.215 g Molar mass of isopentyl alcohol is approximately 88.15 g/mol. Moles of isopentyl alcohol = (1.215 g) / (88.15 g/mol) ≈ 0.0138 moles.

For acetic acid: 2.0 mL x 1.05 g/mL = 2.1 g