Tests for organic substances
Use the Simple test for organic substances found on the EdExcel Practical Chemistry 2008 CD-ROM on the school
intranet to complete the table below.
http://intranet/cdroms/chemistryedexcel2008/simple_tests_for_organic.htm
Substance Test
OH groups Add PCl5
Add acidified potassium
Primary and
dichromate(VI) and warm
secondary alcohols
gently
Add acidified potassium
Tertiary alcohols dichromate(VI) and warm
gently
1. Add bromine water
Alkenes 2. Add acidified potassium
manganate(VII)
Explanation of
Result if positive
result
White fumes seem which
turn damp blue litmus HCl gas released
red
Orange Cr2O72- ions
Solution turns from
are reduced to green
orange to blue/green
Cr3+ ions
Tertiary alcohols
No colour change
cannot be oxidised
1. Turns from orange to
Addition reactions
colourless
occur across double
2. Turns from purple to
bond
colourless

Add Bradys reagent (or 2,4
Carbonyl, C=O
DNP)
Distinguishing
Add Benedicts reagent or
between aldehydes
Fehlings solution and warm
and ketones
Add sodium carbonate
Carboxylic acid
solution
0.5 cm3 of suspected
halogenoalkane is added to a test
tube, followed by 1 cm3 of
ethanol and 1 cm3 of sodium
hydroxide solution. The tube is
Halogenoalkanes heated in a boiling water bath
for a few minutes. Dilute nitric
acid is added until the mixture is
acidic then a few drops of 0.02 M
silver nitrate solution is added.
Orange or yellow ppt
seen with aldehydes and In A2 course
ketones
Aldehydes are
Brick red ppt seen with
reducing agents
aldehydes; no change for
whereas ketones are
ketones
not
Acids react with
Effervescence carbonates to
release CO2 gas
A precipitate is formed, Substitution reaction
the colour of which can takes place where
be used to identify the OH- replaces halogen
halogen present. to release a halide
White ppt = chlorine ion. Halide ion then
Cream ppt = bromine tested for in usual
Yellow ppt= iodine way.