Von Baeyer Test

-The Baeyer test for unsaturation is for determining the presence of carbon-carbon double bonded
compounds, called alkenes or carbon-carbon triple bonded compounds, called alkyne bonds.

Summary of Procedures:
Diluted potassium permanganate was added to each of the three test tubes containing hexane, cyclohexene,
and toluene. The fourth sample was the acetylene aspirated in a wide mouth vial containing the potassium
permanganate. All samples were mixed thoroughly and recorded to see which one decolorizes the potassium
permanganate the fastest and slowest.

RESULTS:

SAMPLES

HEXANE

CYCLOHEXENE

TOLUENE

ACETYLENE

OBSERVATIONS
Color

Time

Rank

No color change;
potassium
permanganate
sunk to the
bottom

NR

NR

6 sec

NR

NR

7 sec

goldish yellow

No color change;
potassium
permanganate
sunk to the
bottom
goldish yellow
with bits of brown
precipitate

Hexane and toluene did not have any changes because hexane has
single bonds while toluene, because of its high chemical stability,
Potassium permanganate reacts with cyclohexene and acetylene
causing KMNO4 to decolorize.