In the presence of an acid catalyst, cyclohexanol (100.16 g/mol) is dehydrated to give cyclohexane (82.14 g/mol) and water. A dehydration reaction starting with 3.3 g cyclohexanol produces 2.4 g cyclohexene. Calculate the theoretical yield for this reaction. Report your answer with two significant figures.

3.3 g cyclohexanol would theoretically produce 2.71g cyclohexene.

Explanation:

A theoretical yield is the amount of products created by a chemical reaction, provided none of the reactants were wasted and the reaction was fully completed.

Let's write out the balanced chemical equation for the reaction;

Cyclohexanol  --> Cyclohexane + Water

HOCH(CH2)5 --> C6H10 + H2O

Step 1: Determine the number of moles of each reactant

Number of moles = Mass/ molar mass = 3.3 / 100.16 = 0.03295 mol

From the equation; 1 mole of cyclohexanol produces 1 mol of cyclohexene.

This means 0.03295 mol of cyclohexanol produces 0.03295 mol of cyclohexene.

Mass of cyclohexene produced; Mass = Number of moles * Molar mass = 0.03295 * 82.14 = 2.71g