III. INTRODUCTION Organic compounds are defined as substances that contain the carbon atom (Klein, 2012).

However, other elements are usually incorporated with these carbon atoms to form various types of organic mixtures. A method to determine these non-carbon particles is through qualitative analysis. Qualitative analysis aims to determine which elements are present in a particular substance (Encyclopedia Britannica Inc, 2012). The aim of this experiment was to determine which functional groups were present through methods that involved wet chemistry. Wet chemistry entailed manipulating the properties of substances in its liquid phase (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 2012). In this experiment, different organic test samples were reacted with various reagents. These reagents were aimed at producing a particular reaction with a specific substance. The presence of specific element/s in the mixture produced the expected, specific physical manifestations while the non-presence of an element generated different results.

IV. METHODOLOGY Before the testing started, the needed apparatuses, reagents, and test samples were prepared. Part of this preparation was the generation of the test sample, acetylene. In order to produce this, an acetylene gas generator was set up. Calcium carbide was placed in a 250 mL distilling flask, and was then filled with 50mL water. Water was made to drop down on the calcium carbide. Doing this allowed the calcium carbide to produce gas, and this was what was collected (in three different test tubes per group) through the water displacement method. To dispose of the components of this set-up, water was poured on to it. This resulted in its decomposition, and the gas from this was allowed to exit through the open windows. The first test to be performed was the Test for Unsaturation. This was divided into two parts: reaction with Bromine in Methylene Chloride and the Baeyer Test. The Bromine Methylene Chloride test was not done because the reagent needed for it was unavailable. The Bayer Test was performed by placing 3 drops of 1% aqueous solution of potassium permanganate in a test tube containing acetylene. Observations were subsequently noted. This test was then repeated with the test samples being benzene, styrene, and hexane. Second, Tests for Aromaticity were performed. Aromaticity was tested using a Nitration Test. This was done by mixing 10 drops of concentrated nitric acid and 10 drops of concentrated sulfuric acid in a test tube. This was then placed in a beaker with cold water. The mixtures were then heated in a water bath at 50 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes. After the heating process, the mixture was shook, and then poured into a beaker of 5mL ice-cold water. Presence of color change and product odor were then observed. Third, Acidity and Basicity Tests were done. These tests were further divided into the Silver Nitrate test and the Silver Acetylide test. For the Silver Nitrate test, 2 drops of acetic acid, 20 drops of ethanol, and 20 drops of 2% ethanolic acid solution were placed in a 5mL test tube. Precipitate was expected to form, so the group applied 5% nitric acid to the mixture. The group then repeated this test using phenol, aniline, and benzoic acid as a test sample. After this, the Silver Acetylide Test was done. Tollens reagent was prepared by adding 1M NH3 drop wise to 20 drops of 2% silver nitrate solution until no precipitate was present. This mixture was then poured into the test tube containing acetylene gas. This was then stoppered and shook. The color change and the formation of precipitate was then recorded. Fourth, the Alkylhalide Test was done. This was achieved by doing the Alcoholic silver nitrate test.

This was performed by placing 20 drops of 2% alcoholic silver nitrate and 2 drops of ethylchloride in a 5mL test tube. This was then shaken and subsequently heated in a water bath for 1 minute. After retrieving the mixture from the hot bath, observations were recorded. This test was repeated but with ethylbromide, ethyliodide, benzylchloride, tert-butylchloride, sec-butylchrloide and chlorobenzene as test samples. *Silver Acetate and Ethanol were used as a replacement for Silver Nitrates unavailability.

VII.

GUIDE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. What test/s could be used to differentiate saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons? Explain how the test could differentiate them. A Bromine test could be used. When bromine is dropped onto an alkane, its color does not change; it stays orange. When Br is dropped onto an alkene, the orange color lessens. This is because the Bromine reacts with the carbons in the pi bonds and turns these bonds into sigma ones. An ignition test can also be used. When one heats a sample on a spatula and produces a smoky flame, the sample is assumed to be aromatic. This happens because the multiple carbon bonds do not all combust. If it does not produce a dark, smoky flame, it is aliphatic. 2. Do alkynes give all tests which alkenes exhibit? What tests could be used to differentiate them? No, only terminal alkynes can be differentiated with alkenes. A mercury test can e used to differentiate these two. A (terminal) alkyne is present if a gray precipitate can be observed when the substance is added to mercuric iodine. 3. Illustrate with equation the reaction of Br2 in methylene chloride with acetylene.

4. Does toluene behave in the same way like the other unsaturated hydrocarbons? Why?

Toluene reacts differently because of its structure. It is very much like benzene: planar, very stable, with equal C-C bonds, cyclic, conjugated, and both following Huckels rule for pi electrons. Its benzene ring allows less interactions with other molecules due to its already complete and fully paired molecular orbitals, making toluene very stable. Also, when it reacts, its conjugated structure is not destroyed. Instead of addition to the pi bonds, substitution reactions happen, resulting in the preservation of the double bonds. 5. What is the role of concentrated sulfuric acid in the nitration of toluene? Concentrated sulfuric acid turns toluene into trinitrotoluene. The addition of this produces electriophilic areas and forms NO2+ (the active ion in the nitration of aromatics).

6. Show the mechanism for the nitration reaction.

7. Give the equation involved in the reaction of acetylene with alcoholic silver nitrate. C2H2 + Ag(NH3)NO3 C2Ag2 + HNO3 8. Tollens reagent for the silver acetylide test should always be freshly prepared. Why?
It should be freshly prepared because it spontaneously decomposes and its precipitate becomes explosive.

9. Explain why the terminal hydrogen in acetylene is acidic when in fact the electronegativity
values of hydrogen and carbon are almost the same. The terminal hydrogen in acetylene is acidic because terminal alkynes can be easily deprotonized and can produce a carbanion. Since its hybridization is sp, its H is closer to the nucleus of C, making it more stable. When the H+ atom is cleaved, the molecule becomes acidic.

10. What test could be used to differentiate carboxylic acids from phenol. Explain how the
test/s could differentiate them.

An ether test could be performed. The sample would be warmed with ethyl alcohol and concentrated sulfuric acid. Esters would be formed if carboxylic acid is present and the physical manifestation of this would be a fruity smell. Also, a sodium bicarbonate test can be done. When a sample is mixed with NaHCO3, and effervescence is produced, carboxylic acid is present. Other substances usually would not react the same way.

11. Why is the order of reactivity of the alkyl halides toward alcoholic silver nitrate 3>2>1?
This is due to hyperconjugation. Tertiary alkyl groups help stabilize energies by spreading the charge over larger distances compared to secondary alkyl groups; subsequently, since secondary alkyl groups cover a bigger area, it has more stabilizing powers than primary alkyl groups which cover less space.

12. In the silver nitrate test for halides, explain why alcohol is used as the solvent for silver
nitrate and not water. The presence of alkyl halides are determined by observing their solubitlities. This is only possible if there is a dissolution of the polar nitrate and the non-polar alkyl chain to expose the halide portion. Water is only polar, so it cannot achieve this. Ethanol has both polar and non-polar properties, so it can dissolve what is needed to expose the halides; therefore, it is a more suitable solvent. IX. REFERENCES
Klein, D. (2012). Organic chemistry. United States of America: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Qualitative chemical analysis. (2012). In Encyclopdia Britannica. Retrieved fromhttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/486045/qualitative-chemical-analysis Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. (2012). Analytical chemistry. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analytical_chemistry Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. (2012). Nitration. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitration Vogel, A. (1989). Vogels textbook of practical organic chemistry. Great Britain: Longman Group UK.