Technique. Usually, the mixture is dissolved in a suitable solvent such as dichloromethane or diethyl ether (ether), and poured into a separating funnel. An aqueous solution of the acid or base is added, and the pH of the aqueous phase is adjusted to bring the compound of interest into its required form.
Acid-base extraction is typically used to separate organic compounds from each other based on their acid-base properties. The method rests on the assumption that most organic compounds are more soluble in organic solvents than they are in water.
