Experiment 6: Elemental Analysis

Nuez, Noemi Angela D.

Solis, Christian Marie Araceli P.

AB2, Group 6, Mr. Kevin Sison

May 4, 2010
Abstract

Identification and classification of a compound can be achieved through quantitative and qualitative
analyses. However, in the experiment, only qualitative elemental analysis was used on the compounds to be
tested, which were p-chloroaniline and thioacetamide. Before such analysis could be done, the compounds were
fused with sodium through intense heating. The fused compound was then mixed in water, allowing the excess
sodium to react. The solution was boiled and filtrated, resulting to a colorless solution. This solution was tested
for sulfur, nitrogen and, halogens by mixing certain compounds. The reaction of these compounds resulted to
defined changes in color and formation of precipitates which determined the elements present. After the tests
had been conducted, it was concluded that p-chloroaniline had the elements nitrogen and chlorine, while
thioacetamide had the elements sulfur and nitrogen.
Keywords: sodium fusion, qualitative analysis, compounds
Introduction
In order to characterize and classify
unknown organic compounds, analyses of elements
other than carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are
essential. These elements include nitrogen, sulfur,
and the halogens (chlorine, bromine, and iodine),
which are covalently bonded to the organic
compounds. In order to detect their presence, they
have to be converted into their ionic forms. One of
the ways in which this can be carried out is by the
sodium fusion experiment. This process involves
the fusion of an unknown organic compound with
sodium at high temperature. They will then be
converted into water-soluble inorganic sodium salts
sodium cyanide (NaCN), sodium sulfur (Na 2S)
and sodium halides (NaX, where X=Cl, Br, and I).
These ionic compounds are extracted in aqueous
solution and can be detected by qualitative
analysis. The alkaline aqueous solution obtained is
called sodium extract or Lassaigne's extract.
Experimental
A. Sodium Fusion
Prior to heating procedures, 0.3 g pchloroaniline, 10 mL cold distilled water in 50 mL
beaker, and wire gauze were prepared for
convenience and better results.
A small piece of sodium was placed in a
small and dry 5 mL test tube and heated over a
Bunsen burner until sodium vapor was observed to
condense on the walls of the tube.
The pcholoroaniline was added and the tube was
hovered back into the flame. After a while, the
bottom of the test tube was heated to redness for
about 3 minutes. It was then dropped into the
beaker containing cold distilled water which was
Chem 31.1, Experimental Analysis

also covered with wire gauze. As the test tube

shattered, unreacted sodium was released and
allowed to react before the solution on the beaker
was boiled for two minutes. It was then filtered and
the filtrate was kept for the succeeding qualitative
tests. The abovementioned procedures were also
done with thioacetamide as replacement for pchloroaniline.
B. Qualitative Tests
B.1. Sulfur Test
Five (5) drops of fusion solution and 3
drops of water were combined in a 5 mL test tube.
Two (2) drops of 2% aqueous sodium nitroprusside
solution was then added. The formation of a deep
blue-violet color was observed.
B.2. Nitrogen Test
A pinch of FeSO4 was added to 1 mL of
fusion solution in a test tube. Five (5) drops of 10%
KF was also added before the mixture was boiled
for 5 seconds and was added with 2 drops of 5%
ferric chloride solution. A sufficient amount of 6 M
H2SO4 was then dropped to dissolve insoluble iron
hydroxides and make the solution acid to litmus.
Deep blue precipitate indicated the presence of
nitrogen. If it had been inconspicuous, the mixture
was filtered and the filter paper was washed with
distilled H2O to see blue coloration in the residue.
B.3. Halogen Test
Ten (10) drops of fusion solution was
placed into a small test tube. If it had been positive
for nitrogen or sulfur, the solution was acidified by
adding 2 M HNO3. It was then boiled gently for 1
minute (to remove possible HCN or H2S) and
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cooled to room temperature. Four (4) drops of 0.1

M AgNO3 was then added. A heavy curdy-type
precipitate indicated presence of halogens white,
AgCl; pale yellow, AgBr; and yellow, AgI while a
faint turbidity was a negative test. To further
differentiate AgBr from AgI, 0.5 mL of 2 M NH 4OH
was added to the precipitate and stirred to
determine solubility of the solid. AgI is insoluble in
the solution while AgBr is slightly soluble.
A preliminary test (Beilstein test) for
halogen was also available. A 3mm diameter-loop
was made on one end of a six (6) inch-copper wire
while the other end was inserted into a cork to
serve as a holder. The coiled part was then heated
on a Bunsen burner until it imparted no color to the
flame. As the wire cooled, it was dipped into a small
portion of the original sample. The sample was
then heated and a green color indicated the
presence of halogen.
Results
A. Sodium Fusion
The resulting solution was a colorless liquid
with insoluble black particles that were eventually
removed through filtration.
B. Qualitative Tests
Table 1: Results of Qualitative Tests

Compounds

Sulfur test

Nitrogen test

P-chloroaniline
Thioacetamide

+
+

Haloge
n test
+
-

P-chloroaniline fusion solution didnt turn

deep blue-violet when placed in a sulfur test.
Therefore, there was no sulfur present. It instead
was positive for the presence of nitrogen and
chlorine, since the solution formed a deep blue
precipitate when placed in nitrogen test and a white
precipitate when placed in halogen test.
Thioacetamide fusion solution had both the
presence of sulfur and nitrogen since the solution
turned to a deep blue-violet color and formed a
deep blue precipitate when placed in sulfur test and
nitrogen test, respectively. There were no halogens
present in the solution because a faint turbidity was
produced rather than precipitate when placed in
halogen test.
Discussion
Sodium fusion involves the strong heating
of a sample with sodium metal. Sulfur, nitrogen or
Chem 31.1, Experimental Analysis

halogens present in the sample will fuse with

sodium, resulting to an inorganic salt such as
NaCNS, Na2S, NaCN or NaX. Accordingly, the
fusion of p-chloroaniline with sodium formed sodium
chloride and sodium cyanide, while the fusion of
thioacetamide with sodium formed sodium
thiocyanate. However, in the presence of excess
sodium, sodium thiocyanate formed sodium sulfide
and sodium cyanide. When the fusion solution of pchloroaniline was tested with sulfur by putting 2%
sodium nitroprusside, it turned yellow. There was no
sulfur present. It is only thioacetamide that turned to
a deep blue-violet color, which indicated the
presence of sulfur. The deep blue- violet color was
caused by Na4[Fe(CN)5NOS]. The reaction is
illustrated in the following formula:
Na2S+Na2Fe(CN)5NO->Na4[Fe(CN)5NOS]
The second test was the nitrogen test or
Prussian blue test. Both compounds were positive
for the presence of nitrogen because of the
formation of a deep blue precipitate. Ferrous sulfate
reacted with sodium cyanide forming sodium
ferrocyanide, Na4[Fe(CN)6]. Potassium fluoride was
added to intensify the deep blue color that was to
be formed. When the solution was boiled, some of
the ferrous salt oxidized to ferric salt and this
reacted with the sodium ferrocyanide to form ferric
ferrocyanide or Fe4 [Fe(CN)6]3. Ferric ferrocyanide
caused the deep blue color. The formation of this
precipitate is illustrated in the following formula:
6NaCN + FeSO4 -> Na4[Fe(CN)6] + Na2SO4
3Na4[Fe(CN)6]+2Fe2(SO4)3 -> Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3 + 6Na2SO4

The final test was the halogen test.

Beilsteins test and silver nitrate test are two ways
to test a compound for the presence of halogens.
The Beilsteins test is an extremely sensitive test
because minute traces of impurities containing
halogen and certain nitrogen compounds without
halogen may produce a green flame. That is why
the Beilsteins test should always be cross-checked
by the silver nitrate test.
In the silver nitrate test, nitric acid, HNO3,
reacts with cyanide or sulfide that could be present
in the filtrate. It results to the formation of hydrogen
cyanide or hydrogen sulfide, and sodium nitrate.
Boiling the sodium fusion filtrate is important in
order to expel hydrogen cyanide or hydrogen
sulfide that was formed. Between the tested
compounds, p-chloroaniline had a presence of
halogens, specifically chlorine. The formation of
white precipitate indicated the presence of chlorine.
The formation of the precipitate is illustrated in the
following formula:
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NaCl + AgNO3 -> AgCl (s) + NaNO3

A solubility test of halogens in ammonium hydroxide
can be used to determine the difference between
the halogens chlorine, bromine and iodine. Silver
chloride is soluble in the mentioned solvent due to
the formation of Ag(NH3)2Cl. Silver bromide is only
slightly soluble because it partially forms salt, and
silver iodide is insoluble because it does not
undergo any reaction with the ammonium
hydroxide.
Guide Questions and Answers
1. Outline the procedures for detecting the
presence of oxygen and phosphorus in organic
compounds.
For Phosphorus:
a. The organic compound is fused with
sodium peroxide.
b. The fused mass is then extracted with
water. The aqueous solution obtained is
boiled with concentrated nitric acid, and
ammonium molybdate is added to it.
c. A yellow solution or precipitate indicates the
presence of phosphorus. The yellow
precipitate
is
of
ammonium
phosphomolybdate (NH4)3[PMO12O40].
For Oxygen:
There is no direct method for detection of oxygen in
organic compounds, but its presence is detected
indirectly. For example:
If an organic compound gives out water
vapor upon heating, there might be oxygen
in it.
If the organic compound is found to contain

any oxygen-containing functional group

such as OH, -CHO, -COOH, -NO2, etc., it
also contains oxygen.
If the sum of the percentages of the

elements in the compound is less than a

hundred, then it may also contain oxygen.
2. Discuss other methods of detecting the presence
of sulphur, nitrogen and halogen in organic
compounds.
Another method by which we could detect
the presence of sulfur, nitrogen and halogen in
organic compounds is through the Schoniger
oxidation method, but it is much more sensitive to
explosions so it is not always used. The test is
conducted in an Erlenmeyer flask or in a separatory
funnel. The sample will be combusted with pure
oxygen. Afterwards, the combustion products will be
Chem 31.1, Experimental Analysis

absorbed by a solution of sodium hydroxide. The

determination of chlorine, nitrogen and sulfur is
through a quantitative method.
Another method to detect the presence of
sulfur is the Lead acetate test. The fusion solution
will be acidified with acetic acid. Then lead sulfide
will be added to it. The formation of a black
precipitate, lead sulfide, indicates the presence of
sulfur.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Qualitative elemental analysis is useful in
determining certain elements that are present in an
organic compound. Through sodium fusion, the
element to be detected combines with sodium metal
to form an inorganic salt. Different compounds will
react with this salt, resulting to changes in color and
formation of precipitates. This kind of analysis
doesnt apply to all elements.
In the sodium fusion test, it is very
important that the test tube used to add the sodium
metal is dry because it (sodium) is potentially
explosive in water depending on quantity. Sodium
residues are also neutralized by adding large
volumes of ethyl alcohol. If in case a fire started, it
should not be hurled with water for it would only get
worse; it should instead be treated with special fire
extinguishers containing Pyromet, a NaCl/
(NH4)2HPO4 mix. Proper attire (including goggles
and gloves) is also very much necessary.
For
the
succeeding
tests,
it
is
recommended that a clean dropper be used for the
different reagents to ensure accurate results and
avoid contaminating the solutions.
References
Shriner, R.L., Curtin, D.Y., Fuson, R.C., Hermann,
C.K.F., & Morill, T.C. (1998). The
Systematic Identification of Organic
Compounds (7th Ed). New York: John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Tutor Vista. (2010). Qualitative Analysis. Retrived
on May 3, 2010, from http://www.tutorvista.
com/content/chemistry/chemistry-iii/organic
-compounds/qualitativeanalysis.php
I hereby certify that I have given substantial
contribution to this report.
_______________
Noemi Angela D.

______________________
Christian Marie Araceli P.
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Nuez

Chem 31.1, Experimental Analysis

Solis

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