QUALITATIVE ORGANIC ANALYSIS
Detection of extra elements
S.No Element Compound formed in Reagent for Product
Lassaigne test identification
(Sodium fusion test)
1 Nitrogen NaCN FeSO4 + Conc.H2SO4 Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3.xH2O
Iron(III)
hexacyanoferrate(II)
(ferriferrocyanide)
Prussian blue
2 Sulphur Na2S Acetic acid + PbS ,Black ppt
(CH3COO)2Pb
Sodium nitroprusside [Fe(CN)5NOS]4– ,Violet
[Fe(CN)5NO]2–
3 Nitrogen NaSCN Fe3+ (FeSO4 + [Fe(SCN)]2+ Blood red
+Sulphur Conc.H2SO4 )
4 Halogen: NaCl HNO3 + AgNO3 AgCl, White ppt, soluble in
Chlorine NH4OH
5 Bromine NaBr HNO3 + AgNO3 AgBr, Pale yellow ppt,
sparingly soluble in
NH4OH.
6 Iodine NaI HNO3 + AgNO3 AgI, Yellow ppt, insoluble in
NH4OH.
Detection of functional groups:
S.No Functional Name of the test Reagent for Product
group identification
1 Hydroxyl Ceric ammonium (NH4 )2[Ce(NO3 )6] [Ce(NO3) 4 (ROH)3 ]
group: nitrate test Ceric ammonium Red complex
Alcoholic nitrate
( R-OH)
Lucas test ( Primary alcohol + No reaction
anhydrous ZnCl2 + Lucas reagent
Conc.HCl
Secondary alcohol + Product (alkyl chloride )
Lucas reagent forms slowly
Tert. Alcohol + Lucas Tertiary alkyl chloride
reagent forms immediately
Iodoform test KI + NaOCl Yellow colour ppt of CHI3
For those alcohols
which on oxidation
yield carbonyl
compounds that
contain acetyl group.
2 Phenolic Ph-OH + FeCl3 [Fe(C6H5O)6 ]3–
group (Resorcinol, o–, m– and Violet Complex
(Ar-OH) p–cresol
also)
Catechol + FeCl3 Green
1 and 2 Napthol + No colour
FeCl3
Phthalein dye test 1.Ph-OH + Conc.H2SO4 1Phenolphthalein
+ Pthalic anhydride.
2.Phenolphthalein + 2.Pink colour
NaOH
3.o–Cresol 3.Red
4. m–Cresol 4. Bluish-purple
5. p–Cresol 5.No colour
6. Catechol 6.Blue
7.Resorcinol 7. Green fluorescent
3 Carbonyl 2,4-DNP test 2,4-DNP Yellow or Orange or Red
Compounds ppt
(Aldehydes
& Ketones)
Only for Tollen’s test ( Silver AgNO3 + NaOH + Metallic silver ( aldehyde
aldehydes mirror test) NH4OH oxidizes to carboxylic
(ammonical silver acid)
nitrate)
Fehling’s test Fehling soln.A Red ppt of Cu2O ,
(Aq.CuSO4) +Fehling (aldehyde oxidizes to
soln.B (alkaline soln.of carboxylic acid)
sodium potassium
tartarate ,Rochelle
salt).
Benedicts test Na2CO3, Sodium citrate Red ppt of Cu2O ,
(Na3C6H5O7 )+ (aldehyde oxidizes to
CuSO4.5H2O carboxylic acid)
Schiff’s test Schiff’s reagent Restores the pink (or
(pararosaniline magenta )colour
hydrochloride)
4 Carboxyl Litmus test Blue litmus Red
group
NaHCO3 Effervescence (CO2)
Ester test Ethanol + Conc.H2SO4 Sweet (fruity ) smell
5 Amines Carbylamine test CHCl3 + KOH Bad smell due to RNC
(for primary amines
only)
Azo dye test 1.HCl + NaNO2 , 00 to Diazotization
(aromatic primary 50C Red dye (diazocoupling)
amine) 2.β-Napthol
Qualitative inorganic analysis
Analysis of anions:
S.No Ion Reagent for identification Product formed
1 Carbonate 1.Dil.H2SO4 1.CO2
(CO32-) 2.(To CO2 evolved) Ca(OH)2 2.CaCO3 (white ppt) dissolves in excess CO2
2 Sulphide 1.Dil.H2SO4 1.H2S ( with rotten egg smell)
(S2- ) 2.(To H2S evolved) 2.Black ppt of PbS
(CH3 COO)2Pb
NH4OH + sodium nitroprusside Na2[Fe (CN)5NO] Purple colour complex of sodium nitroprusside Na4[Fe(CN)5NOS]
3 Nitrite Dil.H2SO4 Reddish brown fumes of NO2 gas
(NO2-)
Filter paper moistened with KI + Starch Blue colour complex due to the exposure of gas &result of reaction
soln.+AcOH between liberated I2 &starch
4 Sulphate Dil.HCl + BaCl2 soln White ppt of BaSO4 insoluble in Conc. HCl or ConcHNO3
(SO42-)
AcOH + (CH3 COO)2Pb White ppt of PbSO4
5 Nitrate 1.Conc.HNO3 1.Light brown fumes
(NO3-) 2.Conc.HNO3 + Cu 2.Soln. turns blue (CuSO4) with evolution of brown fumes (NO2)
Conc.H2SO4 +FeSO4 Brown ring ([Fe(H2O)5(NO)]SO4 Nitroso ferrous sulphate
6. Chloride 1.Conc.H2SO4 1.Colourless gas with pungent smell (HCl)
(Cl-) 2.Expose the gas to NH4OH 2.Dense fumes of NH4Cl
3. Conc.H2SO4 + MnO2 3.Light greenish yellow gas (Cl2) with pungent smell
Dil.HNO3 + AgNO3 white ppt of AgCl soluble in NH4OH
Chromyl 1.Conc.H2SO4 + K2Cr2O7 1.Chromyl chloride (CrO2Cl2) evolves
chloride 2. CrO2Cl2 + NaOH 2.Yellow solution of sodium chromate (Na2CrO4)
test 3, Na2CrO4 + AcOH + (CH3 COO)2Pb 3. Yellow PPT of lead chromate(PbCrO4)
7 Bromide 1. Conc.H2SO4 + MnO2 1. Intense reddish brown fumes of Br2
(Br-) 2. Br2 gas + Starch paper 2. Yellow
CCl4 + Cl2 water Orange brown colour in organic layer
Dil.HNO3 + AgNO3 Pale yellow ppt of AgBr soluble in NH4OH with difficulty
8 Iodide 1. Conc.H2SO4 + MnO2 1. Intense voilet fumes of I2
(I-) 2. I2 gas + Starch paper 2. Blue
CCl4 + Cl2 water Voilet colour in organic layer
Dil.HNO3 + AgNO3 yellow ppt of AgI insoluble in NH4OH
Analysis of cations:
S.No Group Group Reagent Ion Reagent for identification Product
1 Zero NH4+ 1.NaOH 1.Pungent smell of NH3
2. NH3 + HCl 2. NH4 Cl
1. NaOH, 2. Alkaline K 2HgI4 HgO.Hg(NH2 )I Basic mercury (II) amido-iodine (Brown
(Nessler’s reagent) precipitate), Iodide of Millon’s base
2 I Dil.HCl Pb2+ Dil.HCl White ppt of PbCl2
PbCl2 + KI PbI Yellow ppt
PbCl2 +Dil.H2SO4 PbSO4 White ppt
PbCl2 + K2CrO4 PbCrO4 Yellow ppt
PbCrO4 + NaOH Soluble , Na2 [Pb(OH)4 ] Sodium tetra hydroxoplumbate (II)
3 II Dil.HCl +H2S Cu2+ Dil.HCl +H2S Black ppt (may be Pb2+ or Cu2+)
Dil.HNO3 Cu(NO3)2
Heating above rexn mixt Blue colour due to Cu(OH)2 . CuSO4
Cu(OH)2 . CuSO4 + NH3 [Cu(NH3 )4 ]SO4 Tetraamminecopper (II) sulphate (Deep blue)
[Cu(NH3 )4 ]SO4 + K4 [Fe(CN)6] [Cu2 [Fe(CN)6], Copper hexacyanoferrate (II) (Chocolate brown
precipitate)
4 III NH4 Cl + NH4OH Al3+ 1.Conc. HNO3 (to oxidize White ppt, Al(OH)3 , Brown ppt Fe(OH)3
Fe2+ ions to Fe3+ ions, Heat
2. Cool, solid NH4Cl + excess
NH4OH
White ppt of Al(OH)3 + NaOH Gelatinous white ppt
Gelatinous white ppt + Excess Soluble due to NaAlO2 ,Sodium meta aluminate
NaOH
White ppt of Al(OH)3 + Dil.HCl Insoluble blue colour complex (Lake test)
Blue litmus + NH4OH
5 Fe3+ Reddish brown ppt + Dil.HCl Soln. of FeCl3
FeCl3 + K4 [Fe(CN)6 ] Fe4 [Fe(CN)6]3 Prussian blue ppt
FeCl3 + Excess K4 [Fe(CN)6 ] KFe[Fe(CN)6] prussian blue soln
Soln. of FeCl3 + SCN
– [Fe(SCN)]2+ ,Blood red colour
6 IV H2S+ NH4 Cl + Zn2+ H2S+ NH4 Cl + NH4OH White ppt (ZnS )
NH4OH
ZnS + Dil.HCl ZnCl2
ZnCl2 + NaOH White ppt Zn(OH)2
Zn(OH)2 + Excess NaOH Soluble sodium aluminium zincate,NaAlO2
ZnCl2 + K4 [Fe(CN)6 ] Zn2 [Fe(CN)6 ] Zinc ferrocyanide
7 Ni2+ Black ppt of NiS + Aqua regia NiCl2
NiCl2 + Dimethyl glyoxime + Red complex
NH4OH
8 V NH4 CO3 + Ca2+ NH4 CO3 + NH4 OH White ppt ( CaCO3 or BaCO3 )
NH4OH
9 Ba2+ BaCO3 + Acetic acid Barium acetate
Barium acetate + + K 2CrO4 BaCrO4 Barium chromate (yellow precipitate )
CaCO3 + Acetic acid Calcium acetate
Calcium acetate + Ammonium White ppt ,Calcium oxalate, (COO)2 Ca
Oxalate
10 VI Nil Mg2+ Na2HPO4 White ppt of Mg (NH4 )PO4 Magnesium ammonium phosphate
(White precipitate)
