How will you separate a mixture of ethane, ethylene and acetylene ?

1.	How will you separate a mixture of ethane, ethylene and acetylene ?
Answer» Solution :The mixture can be separated into its comstituents by the following steps : Step 1 . Pass the mixture of gases through Tollen's REAGENT when acetylene will form WHITE precipitate of disilver acetylide while ethane and ethylene will pass through . `underset"Acetylene"(HC-=CH)+underset"Tollen's reagent "(2[Ag(NH_3)_2]^(+) OH^-) to undersetunderset"(White ppt.)""Disilver acetylide"(Ag-C-=C-Ag)+4NH_3+ 2H_2O` Separate the white ppt. by FILTRATION and treat it with dil. `HNO_3` to regenerate . Collect it in a separate container. `Ag-C-=C-Ag + 2HNO_3 to HC-=CH+2 AgNO_3` Step 2.Pass the remaining mixture of ethane and ethylene through cold conc. `H_2SO_4` when ethylene will be absorbed as ethyl HYDROGEN sulphate while ethane escapes . The ethane thus obtained is collected in a separate container. `underset"Ethylene"(CH_2=CH_2)+ H_2SO_4(conc.) to underset"Ethyl hydrogen sulphate"(CH_3CH_2OSO_2OH)` The ethyl hydrogen sulphate thus obtained is heated with conc. `H_2SO_4` to 433-443 K when ethylene is obtained which is collected in a separate container. `CH_3CH_2OSO_3H overset"433-443 K"to CH_2=CH_2+H_2SO_4`

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