Methods of Purification of Organic Compounds

Purification of Organic Compounds

Once an organic compound has been extracted from a natural source or synthesised in the laboratory, it is almost never pure. Impurities from the starting materials, side reactions, or the extraction process itself contaminate the product. Purification is therefore an essential step before the compound can be identified, characterised, or used.

The choice of purification method depends on the nature of the compound and the type of impurity present. The common techniques are sublimation, crystallisation, distillation, differential extraction, and chromatography. After purification, the purity of a compound is checked by measuring its melting point or boiling point — pure compounds have sharp, well-defined values. Modern methods also rely on chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. …