FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

NAME BALKIS BINTI HAZMI

STUDENT ID 2014636182
COURSE CODE CHM475
TITLE OF THE EXPERIMENT
LECTURE’S NAME DR. AMALINA MOHD TAJUDDIN
LAB PARTNER’S NAME NUR ATIQAH AISYAH

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Table of contents

PAGE

7. 1 INTRODUCTION 3

7.2 AIMS 3

7.3 APPARATUS AND MATERIALS 3

7.4 METHODOLOGY/PROCEDURE 3-4

7.5 RESULTS 5-16

7.6 DISCUSSION 17-19

7.7 CONCLUSIONS 19

7.8 REFERENCE 19

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Introduction

Identifying the properties of a compound is a part of qualitative chemistry. Different

compound have different properties in terms of reaction with solvent .To determine the
physical properties of the compound, systematic test need to form on that substance . To look
the solubility of the compound, precipitate test to see the reaction between two dissolve
compound .To determine the acidity and basicity of substances the pH test is done. The color
produce during burning test is nearly the same with crystal color. Both of crystals are soluble
in water, but to determine the type of the isomer for these compounds are a bit difficult. The
addition of excess hydrochloric acid followed by ammonia solution can detect the isomerism.
The soluble crystal after being added the hydrochloric acid and ammonia solution is cis-form
meanwhile the insoluble is trans-form.

Objective

To determine the physical properties and isomer shape of copper (II) and chromium (III)
complexes.

Apparatus and material s

Test tubes, test tube rack, dropper ,beaker, blue litmus paper, pH meter, copper(II) complex
crystal, potassium tris(oxalato) chromium (III)trihydrate, distilled water, measuring cylinder,
5% hydrochloric acid, 5% NaHCO₃, 5% NaOH,,5 M HCl, 5 M ammonia solution, 0.1 M
potassium ferrocyanide ,K₄Fe(CN)₆ ,6M CH3COOH ,2 M Pb(CH3COO)2, Bunsen burner,
flame wire ,12 M HCl

Procedure

The first properties of the crystals that can be seen are the color and shape. The color and
shape of the both crystals are recorded into Table 7.1.For solubility and color changes for
these crystals,4 clean test tubes are used by adding each of them with 1ml of distilled water,
5% of aqueous HCl, 5% of aqueous NaHCO3, and 5 % of aqueous NaOH .Small amount of
the crystals are added into the test tubes and mixed well .The changes of the crystals is
observed and then they are put into water bath for 10 minutes to look for the changes in color
and solubility .Next test is isomerism to detect weather the structural formula of these crystals

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are cis-form of trans-form .The crystals are placed on the filter paper resting on the watch
glass .The crystals are moisten with few drops of dilute ammonia solution and followed by
dilute hydrochloric acid. The dissolve crystal after addition of the dilute ammonia solution
and dilute hydrochloric acid is cis-form and the remaining crystal after the reaction is in trans-
form structure of isomerism. Besides, the confirmatory test for the copper and chromium is
done to make sure the element is present in the crystal. For confirmatory test of copper, small
amount of copper complexes is dissolved with 5 ml of distilled water. 2 ml of it is used and
the blue color is faded and the blue litmus paper turned to red after the addition of 6M of
HCl.2-3 drops of 0.1 M potassium ferrocyanide K4Fe(CN)6 is added and the brick-red
precipitate is formed indicates the present of copper. The chemical equation can be showed as
below:

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

For confirmatory test of chromium, a small amaout chromium crystal is dissolve in 5 ml of

distilled water and 2 ml of it is used. A few drops of 6 M CH3COOH, acetic acid is added into
the solution until it is acidic then, 5 drops of 2 M Pb(CH3COO)2 lead acetate are added. The
yellow color of precipitate will form to indicate to present of chromium (III).

The excess solution is used to test the pH reading .The pH paper showed copper have darker
color than the chromium (iii). Copper is more basic than chromium (III).

In flame test, a wire which been wrap with crystal is tested. Firstly ,the wire is dip into the
12M HCl to make sure it is cleaned .Then ,the wrap wire is burned on the flame until the
flame turn into its color .The color of flame is recorded .

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 Result

Test Copper complex Chromium complex

Color and shape Blue Black-green
Solubility and color change Before heating After heating Before heating After heating
Partially The is formation The chromium All the crystal is
a. Water dissolve and of blue and complex crystal dissolved and the
blue color white ppt. The dissolved in dark green color
remain solution is in black green remain unchanged
unchanged blue color. color
Partially The formation The chromium All the crystal is
b. HCl dissolved (blue of white ppt.is complex crystal dissolved and the
ppt.is formed) occurred and the dissolved in dark green color
and color of solution color is black green remain unchanged
solution turned faded. color
to cloudy blue
The blue crystal The crystal is The chromium All the crystal is
c. NaHCO₃ dissolved and slightly complex crystal dissolved and the
solution turn dissolved and dissolved in dark green color
there is black green remain unchanged
precipitate .the color
solution is blue
in color .
d. NaOH The solution Partially The chromium The chromium
turns colorless dissolve an blue complex crystal complex solution
and the blue color turned to dissolved in turned to colorless
black ppt.is turquoise black green and the black ppt.
formed color is formed.
Isomerism Cis-form Trans-form
Confirmatory test +ve test brick-red precipitate is -ve test the white precipitate is
formed ,copper is present formed no chromium in the crystal
Solution pH pH 6 pH 2

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Flame test Green flame Purple flame

Photograph 7.1(a) before heating process

Photograph 7.1(b) after heating process

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Photograph 6.1(a) and 6.1(b) shows the reaction between crystal complexes solution and
water

Photograph 7.2(a) before heating process

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 Photograph 7.2(b) after heating process

Photograph 6.2(a) and 6.2(b) shows the color changed and its solubility after the reaction
between complexes solution and hydrochloric acid

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Photograph 7.3(a) before heating process

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 Photograph 7.3 (b) after heating process

Both photograph 6.3(a) and 6.3(b) shows the color changes and precipitation of complexes
crystal solution and NaHCO3 solution

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Photograph 7.4(a) before heating process

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 Photograph 7.4(b) after heating process

Photograph 6.4(a) and 6.4(b) shows the changes of the complexes crystal solution after the
addition of sodium hydroxide NaOH.

Photograph7.5(a)

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 Photograph 7.5(b)

Photograph 6.5(a) and 6.5(b) shows the condition of the crystals before and after being added
with diluted ammonia solution and dilute hydrochloric acid

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Photograph 7.6 the confirmatory test to detect the present of metal ion in the crystal
complexes solution.

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 `

Photograph 7.7 shows the color of flame for copper (ii) oxalate complex crystal

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Photograph 7.8 shows the purple flame o chromium complex crystal after being burn on the
flame.

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Discussion
A) Copper (II) complexes crystal

The copper (II) oxalate complexes crystal is blue in color .The blue color is from the Cu2+
ions. To test the solubility of copper (II) oxalate complex crystal, four types of solvents like
water, hydrochloric acid (HCl), sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and NaHCO3 solution are used.
The addition of water to the copper (II) oxalate complexes solution gave the result as showed
in photograph 6.1(a) and 6.1(b).There is formation of white and blue precipitate and also the
whole solution turned to cloudy blue color. The original geometry of K2[Cu(C2O4)2.(H2O)2] is
bent shape and after the addition of water the geometry changed to square planar because the
water molecules are attached to the copper ion (central metal ion).The other reason of this
insolubility is because of the geometry shape, square planar and it is too stable to be
dissolved.

The white precipitate is formed as the hydrochloric acid, HCl is being added to the copper (II)
oxalate complex solution. The precipitate indicates, there is reaction between both solution
the formation of insoluble (CuCl4)2+ ion. The blue color of complex solution turned cloudy
and faded.

The solution of copper (II) complex between the NaHCO3 solution will change the color into
blue ocean color and it is partially soluble solution. There is also the formation insoluble salt
of CuHCO3.

The changes of blue solution into turquoise solution happened after the copper (II) oxalate
complex is added with NaOH solution .The turquoise solution is actually partially dissolve
solution and it is an intermediate formation of copper (II) hydroxide, Cu(OH)2 .The further
reaction between NaOH and Cu(C2O4)2+ will lead to the formation of complex ion
[Cu(OH)4]2-.

To determine the structural formula of copper (II) oxalate complex crystal molecule, the
additions of dilute ammonia solution followed with dilute hydrochloric acid are needed. After
the addition of these solution, the blue crystal still remain in solid condition and not dissolved.
This reaction confirmed that the blue crystal is in trans-formed of isomer. The trans-structural
molecule is hard to dissolve because it is stable enough.

The copper (II) oxalate complex is considered as basic form (pH 6) after pH meter is dip into
the solution. The present of copper as the central metal ion is confirmed by adding the

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K4Fe(CN)6 and it gave us the brick-red precipitate at the bottom of test tube as shown in
photograph 7.6 . From that test, it is confirmed that the copper ion is presented in the crystal.
The reaction can be proved by the chemical equation below:

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

The flame test for copper (II) oxalate complex produced green flame. The green flame
produced indicates the copper (II) ion, Cu2+. When burning, the energy of the crystal is used
to excite and the ion backed into their low energy level.

B) Potassium tris(oxalato)chromium (III) trihydrate

Chromium is placed under transition element and it have various number of oxidation .The
chromium can be Cr2+, Cr3+ and etc. The potassium tris(oxalato)chromium(III) Trihydrate is
greenish-black in color. Soluble greenish-black color of crystal solution as the distilled water
being added to the crystal. There is also a soluble greenish black solution when the
hydrochloric acid added into chromium crystal. The formation of [Cr(C2O4)3Cl]3+ happened
after the Cl- ion chemically react with the [Cr(C2O4)3]3+ ion. The formation of [Cr(C2O4)3Cl]3+
ion is temporary and the Cl- will disappear if the solution left over a week. The crystal also
dissolved in NaHCO3 solution and produce dark green solution of (Na)3[Cr(C2O4)3]. But there
is formation of black precipitate as the NaOH solution added to the greenish-black solution
.The precipitate is known as [Cr(C2O4)3OH]3+ as the OH- bind with Chromium(III) oxalate
complex ion.

The structural shape of the crystal is cis-formed. This structure can be proved after the dilute
ammonia solution and dilute hydrochloric acid is dropped the crystal is dissolved as shown in
photograph 7.5 (b). To confirm the present of chromium ion as the central metal ion ,the
crystal solution is added with the acetic acid and lead(II) acetate .The formation of yellow
precipitate should happen but it there is only cloudy precipitate formed at the bottom of test
tube as shown in photograph 7.6. This mean there is no chromium present in the crystal
because the chromium ion is in small amount. The flame test for the chromium (III) oxalate
complex is in purple flame.

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To obtain the accurate result, make sure the test tubes are cleaned from the waste product and
to avoid the chemical reaction is slowed down. The purpose of heating process toward the
solubility test is to make sure the complete reaction of the chemicals solution and the crystals.
The gloves must be ware because of handling strong acid such as 12 M of hydrochloric acid.

Conclusion

The physicals properties of both crystals are determined. The copper(II) oxalate complex
crystal is insoluble meanwhile most of the chromium(III) oxalate complex crystal is soluble in
all the chemical solution accept in NaOH. The blue crystal is trans-formed of isomer
meanwhile the chromium, greenish-black crystal is cis-formed structure. The copper is more
basic than chromium crystal. The flame of copper is green and chromium is purple color .

References

Silberberg, M. (2015) .The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change (7thed) . New York
:McGraw Hill

Kotz, J C.Treichel,P, M &Weaver,G.C. (2006).Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity (6th ed) .,

Canada : Thomson Learning Inc .

Miessler,L. Fischer, J.& Tarr, A .(2014). Inorganic Chemistry (5th ed) ., USA :Pearson

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