In this experiment, it was shown that about 10.6% of an oil could be recovered from cloves by steam distillation. This oil was identified as eugenol by comparison of its infrared spectrum with an authentic sample.
POST LAB
2.) The active component is Eugenol. It is a phenylpropene, an allyl chain-substituted guaiacol. Eugenol is a member of the phenylpropanoids class of chemical compounds. It is slightly soluble in water and soluble in organic solvents.
Clove oil is soluble in dichloromethane so its easily extracted by evaporating dichloromethane. Eugenol has a high boiling point (254 oC), and many organic compounds decompose at such high temperatures. Steam distillation allows eugenol to be distilled at a much lower boiling point (< 100 oC), thus minimizing the potential for