Alkaloid salts are not very soluble in the organic solvent diethyl ether. What might happen to the free-base form of caffeine dissolved in diethyl ether if gaseous hydrogen chloride, HCl, were bubbled into the solution?
A) A second layer of water would form.
B) Nothing, and the HCl gas would merely bubble out of solution.
C) The diethyl ether insoluble caffeine salt would form as a white precipitate.
D) The acid/base reaction would release heat, which would cause the diethyl ether to start evaporating.
Question 2
If you saw the label phenylephrine HCl on a decongestant, would you worry that consuming it would expose you to the strong acid hydrochloric acid, HCl?
A) No, because it is balanced by the phenylephrine.
B) No, because the drug is in the solid phase.
C) No, because this is a salt made using hydrogen chloride, but it is in no way hydrogen chloride.
D) Yes, because of the hydrochloric acid it contains.
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