Handout for Qualitative Analysis: Chromate can be converted into dichromate when acid is

Cations added,

Group 1 (Insoluble Chlorides) CrO42- + 2H+  Cr2O72- + H2O

- Ag+, Pb2+ and Hg22+
Hg22+:
Precipitating Reagent: HCl Remarks:
1. Forms a white precipitate, Hg2Cl2
Ag+: 2. Insoluble in hot water

Confirmatory Test:
Hg2Cl2 + NH3  HgHgNH2Cl (grey to black)

Remarks:
1. Forms an insoluble precipitate AgCl upon the addition
of HCl
2. Insoluble in hot water

Confirmatory Test:
Ag+ + 2NH3  Ag(NH3)2+
Warning: Mercury is a potent heavy metal poison and can
Note: AgCl forms again upon the addition of HNO3 cause the Minamata Disease (neurodegenerative)
Pb2+: Group 2 (Acid-Insoluble Sulfides)
- Hg2+, Pb2+, Bi3+, As3+, Sb3+,Cd2+, Cu2+, Sn4+
- We will only focus on Pb2+, Cd2+ and Cu2+

Precipitating Reagent: H2S OR Thioacetamide in acid

medium

Pb2+:
Remarks:
1. Forms a black precipitate, PbS

Remarks:
1. Soluble in hot water

Confirmatory Test:
Pb2+ + CrO42-  PbCrO4 (yellow precipitate)
Pb2+ + SO42-  PbSO4

Confirmatory Test:
*same with that in Group I

Chem18.1 Page 1
Cd2+: Group 3 (Base-Insoluble Sulfides)
Remarks: - Al3+, Cr3+, Fe3+, Zn2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Co2+
1. Cd2+forms a sulfide which is the only yellow sulfide, Precipitating Reagent: (NH4)2S OR Na2S OR
CdS Thioacetamide in basic solution

Al3+:
Remarks:
1. It forms an insoluble hydroxide, Al(OH)3 which is a
white precipitate

Confirmatory Test:
Dissolve CdS in acid then add thioacetamide OR H2S

Cd2+ + S2- CdS (yellow precipitate) Confirmatory Test:

Cu2+: Al(OH)3 + HNO3 + Aluminon (dye)  Red Lake

Remarks:
1. Cu2+ can be identified by its distinctly BLUE colored
solutions

Confirmatory Test:
Cu2+ + 4NH3  Cu(NH3)42+ (blue complex in expt 3)

Cr3+:
Remarks:
1. Forms an insoluble hydroxide, Cr(OH)3 which is green
in color

2Cu2+ + Fe(CN)64-  Cu2Fe(CN)6 (brown precipitate)

Confirmatory Test:

Cr(OH)3 + H2O2 + NaOH CrO42- (yellow)

Chem18.1 Page 2
CrO42- can further be identified by the ff reactions: Zn2+:
Remarks:
Ba2+ +CrO42-  BaCrO4 (yellow precipitate) 1. Forms the only white colored sulfide, ZnS
CrO42- + 2H+ H2O + Cr2O72- (orange)
Confirmatory Test:
Fe3+: 3Zn2+ + 2K+ + 2[Fe(CN)6]4-  K2Zn3[Fe(CN)6]2(white
Remarks: precipitate)
1. Solutions of this ion are yellow-colored
2. Forms an insoluble brown precipitate, Fe(OH)3, a
brown precipitate

Mn2+:
Remarks:
Confirmatory Test: 1. Solutions of this ion are pinkish in color
Fe3+ + SCN-  Fe(SCN)2+ (blood red solution) 2. Forms a peach colored precipitate, MnS

K+ + Fe3+ + Fe(CN)64- (ferrocyanmide)  Confirmatory Test:

KFe(III)Fe(II)((CN)6 (Prussian Blue)
Mn2+ + NaBiO3 (crystals)  MnO4- (purple)

Note: The formation of purple solution due to

permanganate is quickly disappears

Chem18.1 Page 3
Co2+: Ba2+:
Remarks: Remarks:
1. Solutions of this ion are rose colored/dark pink 1. Forms a white precipitate BaCO3

Confirmatory Test:

Co2+ + KNO2 (crystals)  K3Co(NO2)6 (yellow precipitate)

Confirmatory Test:

Ba2+ + CrO42-  BaCrO4 (yellow precipitate)

Ni2+:
Remarks:
1. Solutions of this ion are green in color.
2. Forms a black sulfide, NiS

CrO42- + 2H+ H2O + Cr2O72- (orange)

Confirmatory Test:

C4H8N2O2 (Dimethylglyoxime) + Ni2+  Ni(C4H8N2O2)2

(red precipitate)

Ba2+ + SO42-  BaSO4 (white precipitate)

Group 4 (Insoluble Carbonates/Phosphates) Flame Test: Green-colored flame

- Ba2+, Ca2+, Mg2+

Precipitating Agent: Na2CO3, K2CO3, or (NH4)2CO3

Chem18.1 Page 4
 Mg2+:
Confirmatory Test:

Mg2+ + HPO42- + NH3  MgNH4PO4 (white precipitate)

Flame Test: White-colored flame

Ca2+:
Remarks:
1. Forms a white precipitate, CaCO3

Confirmatory Test:

Ca2++ C2O42- (oxalate)  CaC2O4 (white precipitate)

Group V (Alkali Metal Ions)

- Na+, K+, NH4+

Precipitating Reagent: NONE

Na+:
Flame Test: Yellow-colored flame

Flame Test: Orange-red flame

Chem18.1 Page 5
K+: Solubility in H2O:
Flame Test: Lilac/Purple-colored flame Nitrates and Acetates – all are soluble
Sulfates – all are soluble except Pb2+, Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+
Carbonates, Oxalates, Phosphates – all insoluble except
Na+, K+ and NH4+
Sulfides, Oxides, and Hydroxides – all insoluble except
Na+, K+, NH4+, Ba2+, Ca2+, Sr2+

Metal ions that dissolve in excess NaOH due to

complex formation:
Al(OH)3  Al(OH)4-
Cr(OH)3  Cr(OH)4-
Pb(OH)2  Pb(OH)4-
Zn(OH)2  Zn(OH)4-
NH4+: Sn(OH)4  Sn(OH)62-
Remarks:
1. Turns red litmus paper into blue due to the presence Metal ions that dissolve in excess NH3 due to complex
of NH3 formation:

Confirmatory Test: Ni(NH3)62+ (violet)

Cu(NH3)42+ (blue)
NH4+ + OH-  NH3 (gas) + H2O Zn(NH3)62+ (colorless)
Ag(NH3)2+ (colorless)
Cd(NH3)42+ (colorless)

Anions

Anions that react with H2SO4 or HNO3:

Anion Product Visible Result
2-
S H2S (g) Rotten egg smell
S2O32- Sulfur (s) Colloidal sulfur
SO32- SO2 (g) Respiratory irritant
CO32- CO2 (g) Effervescence
NO3- NO2 (g) Brown gas
CH3COO- CH3COOH Acetic acid smell
CrO42- Cr2O72- Orange solution

Tips in Identifying a Salt Solution or Solid: Specific Anion Tests:

1. PO43-
General Colors of Ions:
Co2+ - rose Reagent: Ammonium Molybdate
Cr3+ - violet
Cu2+ - blue PO43- + 12MoO42- + 24H+ + 3NH4+ 
Fe3+- yellow (NH4)3PO4.12MoO4 (yellow ppt)
Mn2+ - pink
Ni2+ - green
The rest are usually colorless. 

Flame Test:
Na: yellow
K: purple
Ca: brick red
Sr: crimson red
Ba: green
Cu: bluish-green

Chem18.1 Page 6
 2. CrO42-

Reagent: HNO3/H2SO4

CrO42- (yellow) + 2H+  Cr2O72- (orange) + H2O

6. S2-

Reagent: HNO3/H2SO4

S2- + 2H+  H2S (g) (rotten egg smell)

Reagent: Pb(OAc)2
3. SO42-
Pb2+ + S2-  PbS (black ppt)
Reagent: BaCl2

Ba2+ + SO42-  BaSO4 (white precipitate)

4. SO32- 7. S2O32-

Reagent: H2O2 and BaCl2 Reagent: HNO3/H2SO4

SO32- + H2O2  SO42- (then same with SO42-) S2O32- + 2H+  S(s) + SO2 (g) + H2O

5. CO32-

Reagent: HNO3/H2SO4

CO32- + 2H+  CO2 (g) (effervescence) + 2H2O

8. C2O42-

Reagent: CaCl2 or Ca(NO3)2

Reagent: Ca(OH)2
Ca2++ C2O42- (oxalate)  CaC2O4 (white precipitate)
CO32- + Ca(OH)2  CaCO3 (s) (lime water/cloudy) +
H2O

Chem18.1 Page 7
 9. NO3- 12. Br-

Reagent: FeSO4 in H2SO4 Reagent: MnO4- or Fe3+ (or any oxidizing agent)

NO3- + 2Fe2+ + 4H+  NO + 2Fe3+ + 2H2O 2Br- + 2Fe3+  2Fe2+ + Br2

Fe2+ + NO  Fe(NO)2+ (brown ring)
Add colorless nonpolar solvent: CCl4 or hexane

13. I-
I-, CrO42-, Br- and SCN- interfere with this test by
reaction with the iron species present! Reagent: Fe(NO3)3 source of Fe3+ (or any oxidizing
agent)
10. OAc-
2I- + 2Fe3+  2Fe2+ + I2
Reagent: Ethanol
Add colorless nonpolar solvent: CCl4 or hexane
CH3CH2OH + CH3COOH ⇌ CH3COOCH2CH3 + H2O

14. SCN-
11. Cl-
Reagent: Fe(NO3)3 source of Fe3+
Reagent: AgNO3
Fe3+ + SCN-  FeSCN2+ (blood red solution)
Ag+ + Cl-  AgCl (white ppt)

Chem18.1 Page 8
 15. MnO4-

Reagent: Na2C2O4

5C2O42-(aq) + 2MnO4-(aq) + 16H+(aq)  2Mn2+(aq) +

10CO2(g) + 8H2O(l)

The solution is decolorized! 

Chem18.1 Page 9