Question

In lab how would you isolate (R)-phenylethylamine from a racemic mixture?

Answer 1

first treat the racemic phenylethylamine with L-tartartic acid to form tartarate salt, then it will form two diastereomeric salt (R)-phenylethylammonium-(L)-tartarate salt (RRR) and (S)-phenylethylammonium-(L)-tartarate (SRR), then the diastereomeric mixture can be separated by recrysallization, mostly crysyallized product with be one isomer and mother liquor will have other isomer

the above diastereomeric mixture can be seprated by recrysallization, after separation, by neutralizing with base we can isolate R-phenylethylamine and S-phenylethylamine