Q:Why can I not separate biphenyl now?

Biphenyl is the neutral compound in the mixture. Since it is neutral, it will not react with any inorganic base or acid. There are no sites available for ionization, a critical requirement for solubility in the aqueous phase. Separation of biphenyl is not achievable when there is an acidic (2-bromobenzoic acid) component present in the mixture.

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