Question

While attempting to recrystallize maleic anhydride, a student dissolved it in freshly distilled cyclopentadiene rather than in freshly distilled cyclopentane. Was his recrystallization successful?

Short answer

Its recrystallization was not successful. because maleic anhydride is a dienophile,it reacts with cyclopentadiene in a diels-alder reaction.

Step-by-step solution

Diels-Alder reaction:

The cyclo addition reaction of diene with a dienophile yields a cyclo hexene.

Final answer

Its recrystallization was not successful. because maleic anhydride is a dienophile,it reacts with cyclopentadiene in a diels-alder reaction.