Extraction of Caffeine from Tea

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Org Chem I Experiment 5 - Extraction of Caffeine from Tea “This Caffeine Extraction lab is Tea-riffic!” Part I 1 Merrit DeBartolo, Fall 2002 Tea and coffee have been popular beverages for centuries, primarily because they contain the stimulant caffeine. It stimulates respiration, the heart, and the central nervous system, and is a diuretic (promotes urination). It can cause nervousness and insomnia and, like many drugs, can be addictive, making it difficult to reduce the daily dose. A regular coffee drinker who consumes just four cups per day can experience headache, insomnia, and even nausea upon with drawl from the drug. On the other hand, it helps people to pay attention and can sharpen moderately complex mental skills as well as prolong the ability to exercise. Caffeine may be the most widely used and abused drug in the United States. During the course of the day an average person may unwittingly consume up to a gram of this substance. The caffeine content of some common foods and drugs is given in table below. Caffeine Content of Common Foods and Drugs Espresso 120 mg per 2 oz Coffee, regular, brewed 103 mg per cup Instant coffee 57 mg per cup Coffee, decaffeinated 2 to 4 mg per cup Tea 30 to 75 mg per cup Cocoa 5 to 40 mg per cup Milk Chocolate 6 mg per oz Baking Chocolate 35 mg per oz Coca-Cola, Classic 46 mg per 12 oz Jolt Cola 72 mg per 12 oz Anacin, Bromo-Seltzer, Midol 32mg per pill Excedrin, Extra Strength 65 mg per pill Dexatrim, Dietac, Vivarin 200 mg per pill Dristan 16 mg per pill No-Doz 100mg per pill Caffeine belongs to a large class of compounds known as alkaloids. These are of plant origin, contain basic nitrogen, often have a bitter taste and complex structure, and usually have physiological activity. Their names usually end in “ine”; many are quite familiar by name if not

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