Question

One of the intermediates in the synthesis of glycine from ammonia, carbon dioxide, and methane is aminoacetonitrile, C₂H₄N₂.

How much C₂H₄N₂ could be expected from the reaction of 14.5 g CO₂, 2.03 g NH₃, and 1.65 g CH₄?

Answer 1

Without the balanced chemical equation, we cannot accurately calculate the expected amount of aminoacetonitrile from the given reactants. The moles of each reactant can be calculated, but without stoichiometric relationships, the limiting reactant cannot be determined.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the expected amount of aminoacetonitrile from the reaction, we must first determine the limiting reactant by comparing the mole ratio from the balanced equation with the moles of each reactant available.

First, calculate the moles of each reactant:

• For CO₂: Molar mass = 44.01 g/mol, Moles = 14.5 g / 44.01 g/mol = 0.3295 mol.
• For NH₃: Molar mass = 17.03 g/mol, Moles = 2.03 g / 17.03 g/mol = 0.1192 mol.
• For CH₄: Molar mass = 16.04 g/mol, Moles = 1.65 g / 16.04 g/mol = 0.1028 mol.

Suppose the reaction is CO₂ + 2NH₃ + 3CH₄ → C₂H₄N₂ + products. We need to determine which reactant provides the fewest moles of aminoacetonitrile per mole of reactant, based on the stoichiometry. We have not been provided with a balanced reaction, so assuming a 1:1:1 mole ratio is purely hypothetical.

Without the actual stoichiometry, we cannot definitively determine the limiting reactant or calculate the maximum yield of C₂H₄N₂. Theoretical yield calculations require a balanced chemical equation to proceed correctly.