SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

Compiled By: Dr.K.Kesavan M.Sc., Ph.D.,

Former Professor and Head,
Presidency College, Chennai.

S.No EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1. Colour Pink or dark brown Phenol or aromatic

solid or liquid amines
Yellow liquid or solid Nitro compound
Colorless liquid or Absence of phenols
white solid. or aromatic amines.
2. Odour Phenolioc odour Phenols
Fishy or aniline like Aromatic amines.
odour.
Pleasant fruity odour Aromatic esters
Smell of bitter almonds Aromatic aldehydes.
No characteristic odour Absence of ……..
3. Solubility Soluble Carbohydrates,
In cold water diamide, aliphatic
aldehydes, ketones
and acids.
insoluble Absence of ……
If the compound is insoluble in cold water, test its solubility in NaOH and HCl.
In NaOH Soluble Phenols or aromatic
carboxylic acids.
Insoluble Absence of ….
In HCl Soluble Aromatic amines
Insoluble Absence of…..
II. TEST FOR UNSATURATION.
1. To a little of the substance in Decolourised. Unsaturated
water/alcohol add 1 ml of compound
Bromine water. Decolourised with the Saturated compound
formation of a white like Phenol or
precipitate. aromatic amine.
Not decolourised. Saturated.
2. To a little of substance in Decolourised Unsaturated
water/Alcohol add dil. alkaline Not Decolourised Saturated
KMnO4
III. TEST FOR AROMATICITY.
1. A little of the substance is Burns with sooty Aromatic compound.
taken in the nickel spatula and luminous flame.
introduce into the Bunsen
flame.
 Burns with a non- Aliphatic compound.
luminous, non-sooty
flame.
2. Nitration Test: 0.5ml of on Yellow precipitate or Aromatic compound
HNO3 and 1ml of Con H2SO4 solution
are mixed in a test tube. A No yellow precipitate or Aliphatic
little of the substance is added solution
warmed cautiously poured into
a beaker containing water.
IV.TEST FOR ELEMENTS (N, S, Cl).
Preparation of Sodium fusion extract: A small piece of sodium, dried with a filter paper is
taken in a fusion tube. It is heated in a Bunsen flame to give a silvery globule. A small
piece of organic compound is added, heated till the bottom becomes red hot. The hot tube
is plunged into about 10ml of water into a mortar. It is ground well and boiled and then
filtered. The filtrate is tested for the elements N,S and Cl.
1 To 1ml of the extract add a A blue or green Presence of Nitrogen.
little FeSO4,boil,cool and add precipitate or solution is
dil. HCl. obtained.
No blue or green Absence of Nitrogen.
precipitate or solution is
obtained.
2. To 1ml of extract add 2 drops A black precipitate is Presence of sulphur.
of lead acetate solution. obtained.
No black precipitate is Absence of Sulphur.
obtained.
3. To 1ml of the extract add 1ml A Curdy white Presence of chlorine.
of dil NO3,boil,cool and then precipitate soluble in
add 1ml of AgNO3. NH4OH is obtained.
No curdy white Absence of chlorine.
precipitate.
V. TEST FOR FUNCTIONAL GROUPS.
1. Test for Carboxylic acids: To a A quick effervescence Presence of
little of the compound in is noted Carboxylic acids.
water/alcohol add 1ml of No effervescence. Absence of
sodium bicarbonate solution. Carboxylic acids.
2. Test for phenols: To a 1ml of A blue, violet or green Presence of Phenols.
neutral ferric chloride add a colour is noted.
little of the compound.(Dilute No characteristic Absence of phenols.
if necessary). colour.
3. Test for Esters: To 1mlof The pink colour Presence of Ester.
water add a drop of NaOH and disappears on shaking
a drop of Phenolphalein.To the or on slight heating.
pink solution add a little of the The colour does not Absence of ester.
substance. disappear.
(Note: If the colour disappears immediately it could be due to acids. Amides may also
answer this test.)
4. Test for aldehydes/Ketones: An yellow or orange Presence of
To a little of the compound in precipitate s formed. Aldehydes, Ketones
water/alcohol add 1ml of the or Carbohydrates.
Borsche’s reagent. Boil add a
drop of con.HCl, cool and
dilute the water.
5. Test for Aldehydes: To a little A deep pink or red Presence of
of the substance in colour is formed Aldehydes.
water/alcohol add 1ml of immediately.
Schiff’s reagent. A pink or red colour is Absence of
not immediately Aldehydes.
formed.
6. Test for ketones: To a little of An orange colour is Presence of ketones.
the substance in water/alcohol formed that turns to
add 5 drops of Sodium purple.
nitroprusside,5 drops of NaOH No characteristic colour Absence of Ketones.
and 5 drops of glacial acetic is developed.
acid.
7. Test for Carbohydrates: To a The substance chars Presence of
little of the substance in a dry with a characteristic carbohydrates.
test tube add 5 drops of smell of burnt sugar.
con.H2SO4.Heat gently. The substance does not Absence of
char. carbohydrates.
8. Test for Primary amines: To a A red brown dye is Presence of aromatic
little of the substance in obtained. primary amines.
dil.HCl, add 1ml of strong No characteristic dye is Absence of aromatic
NaNO2 solution followed by formed. primary amines.
1mlof β-naphthol in sodium
hydroxide.
9. Test for Amides: To a little of Ammonia is evolved. Presence of amides.
the substance add 2mlof strong No evolution of Absence of amides.
NaOH solution, Heat. ammonia.
10. Test for Diamide: A little of A violet colour is Presence of Diamide.
the substance is heated in a dry formed.
test tube. The compound melts No violet colour Absence of Diamide.
and again solidifies. Cool and
add 2 drops of CuSO4 solution
followed by 2 drops of NaOH.
11. Test for Nitro compounds: To A silver mirror or black Presence of Nitro
a little of the substance in precipitate is obtained. compounds.
water/ethanol add NH4Cl and No silver mirror or Absence of Nitro
zinc dust.Heat, filter.Add ml black precipitate is compounds.
of Tollons solution. obtained.
VI. CONFORMATORY TEST FOR FUNCTIONAL GROUPS.
1. For Carboxylic acids. Fruity Fruity odour is Carboxylic acid is
odour test: To a little of the produced. confirmed.
substance add 1ml of alcohol,5
drops of con.H2SO4.Boil and
pour in 10ml of sodium
carbonate solution in a beaker.
2. Test for Phenols:
a. Phalein fusion test: To a Pink colour is formed Phenol is confirmed.
little of the substance add
a little pthalic anhydrie,5
drops of con.H2SO4.Heat
and pour into a beaker of
water containing a few
drops of NaOH.
b. Libermann’s Test: To a A red solution is Phenol is confirmed.
little of the substance in a formed, it turns deep
dry test tube add a little blue on adding NaOH.
NaNO2,5 drops of
con.H2SO4 and heat.
Pour into a beaker
containing water.
c. Azodye Test: Dissolve 3 An orange dye is Presence of Phenol is
drops of aniline in 1ml of formed. confirmed.
dil.HCl. Add 1mlof
saturated NaNO2 solution
followed by 1mlof the
substance in NaOH.
3 Test for Aldehydes:
a. Tollen’s Test: To 1ml of A bright silver mirror or Aldehyde is
Tollen’s reagent add a black precipitate is confirmed.
little of the substance and obtained.
heat on a water bath.
b. Fehling’s Test: Mix 0.5ml A red precipitate is Aldehyde is
each of fehling’s A and B obtained. confirmed.
solutions in a test tube
and add a little of the
substance and heat on a
water bath.
4. Test For Carbohydrates:
a. Molische’s Test: To 1ml A violet ring is formed Carbohydrate is
of the substance in water at the junction of the confirmed.
add 1ml of α-naphthol in two liquids.
alcohol mix well. Add con
H2SO4 through the sides
of the test tube.
 b. Tollen’s Test: Add a little A silver mirror is Presence of reducing
of the substance to 1ml of formed. sugar.
tollens reagent. Heat on a
water bath.
c. Fehling’s Test: Add a A red precipitate is Presence of reducing
little of the substance to formed sugar.
1ml of a mixture of
fehling’s A and B
solutions. Heat on a water
bath.
5. Test For Primary Amines:
a. Carbylamine Test: To a Offensive smelling gas Primary amine is
little of the Substance add is evolved. confirmed.
3 drops of chloroform and
1 ml of alcoholic KOH
and heat.

6. Test For Aromatic amides: To NH3 is evolved Presence of amide

a little of the substance add confirmed.
1mlof 20% NaOH solution A white precipitate is Presence of aromatic
and boil. Cool and acidify with formed. amide confirmed.
dil. HCl.
7. Test For Diamide:
a. Oxalate Test: To a little f A white crystalline Diamide is
the substance in 1ml of precipitate is formed. confirmed.
water add 1ml of saturated
solution of oxalic acid.
b. Nitrate Test: To a little of A white crystalline Diamide is
the substance in 1ml of precipitate is formed. confirmed.
water, add 1ml of
con.HNO3.
8. Test For Dicarboxylic acids. A greenish yellow Dicarboxilic acid is
Fluorescein Test: To a little of fluorescence is formed. confirmed.
the Substance add a little
resorcinol and 5 drops con
H2SO4.Heat and pour it in
NaOH in a beaker.

REPORT: The Given Organic Compound

i. is acidic/basic/neutral
ii. is saturated/unsaturated
iii. is aromatic/aliphatic
iv. has nitrogen/sulphur/halogen
v. has _________as the functional group.