Organic Chemistry Identification Tests (Class 12
NCERT - Ch. 10, 11, 12)
S.No. Test Reagent Positive Observation Functional Group Identified
1 Beilstein Test Copper wire in flame Green flame Halogen (haloalkanes/haloarenes)
2 Silver Nitrate Test Alcoholic AgNO■ AgCl: White ppt (soluble in NH■) Haloalkanes
AgBr: Pale yellow (partly soluble)
AgI: Yellow (insoluble)
3 Victor Meyer Test Series of reagents Red: 1° 1°, 2°, 3° haloalkanes
Blue: 2°
No colour: 3°
4 Lucas Test ZnCl■ + conc. HCl 3°: Immediate turbidity Alcohol classification
2°: Turbidity in 5–10 min
1°: No turbidity (RT)
5 Sodium Metal Test Sodium metal Effervescence of H■ gas Alcohols, Phenols
6 Ceric Ammonium Nitrate CAN solution Red colour Alcohols
7 Ferric Chloride Test Neutral FeCl■ Violet/blue/green colour Phenols
8 Bromine Water Test Br■ water Decolourisation + White ppt Phenols
9 Iodoform Test I■ + NaOH Yellow ppt of CHI■ Methyl ketones, Ethanol, 2° alcohols
10 2,4-DNP Test 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine Yellow/orange ppt Aldehydes & Ketones
11 Tollen’s Test [Ag(NH■)■]■ Silver mirror Aldehydes
12 Fehling’s Test Fehling’s solution Brick-red ppt of Cu■O Aldehydes (aliphatic)
13 Benedict’s Test Benedict’s solution Red ppt Aldehydes
14 Schiff’s Test Schiff’s reagent Pink colour Aldehydes
15 Aldol Test Dilute NaOH β-hydroxy aldehyde/ketone Aldehydes & Ketones with α-H
16 Cannizzaro Test Conc. NaOH Alcohol + Carboxylate salt Aldehydes without α-H
17 Litmus Test Litmus paper Blue → Red Carboxylic acids
18 NaHCO■ Test Sodium bicarbonate Effervescence of CO■ Carboxylic acids
19 Ester Test Alcohol + conc. H■SO■ Fruity smell Carboxylic acids
