Comparative Reactions of the Ammonium Sulfide Group

IONS NH4OH Excess NH4OH NH4Cl & NH4OH (NH4) 2 S NaOH Excess NaOH Na2O2 or H2O2
Zn2+ Zn(NH3)4+2 Soluble- ZnS white Na2ZnO2 Soluble-
Zn(OH)2 white ppt. Soluble Zn(OH)2 white ppt No Action
Colorless Soln metallic ppt Colorless Soln
Al3+ Al(OH)3 white gelatinous Al(OH)3 white Al(OH)3 white Al(OH)3 white gelatinous NaAlO2 Soluble-
Insoluble No Action
ppt. gelatinous ppt. gelatinous ppt. ppt. Colorless Soln
Cr3+ Cr(OH)3 grayish green Cr(OH)3 grayish Cr(OH)3 grayish NaCrO2 Soluble- Na2CrO4 yellow
Insoluble Cr(OH)3 grayish green ppt.
ppt. green ppt. green ppt. Green Soln. soln.
Fe2+ Fe(OH)2 white to green to Fe(OH)2 white to green to Fe(OH)3 reddish
Insoluble Soluble FeS black ppt. Insoluble
brown ppt. brown ppt. brown ppt.
Fe3+ Fe(OH)3 reddish brown Fe(OH)3 reddish
Insoluble Fe2S3 black ppt. Fe(OH)3 reddish brown ppt Insoluble No Action
ppt brown ppt
Mn2+ Mn(OH)2 white to light MnS flesh or Mn(OH)2 white to light MnO2.H2O brown
Insoluble Soluble Insoluble
brown ppt. of MnO2.H2O salmon ppt. brown ppt. of MnO2.H2O ppt.
Co2+ Co(NH3)4+2 dirty Co(OH)2 blueppt. on Co(OH)3 brown
Co(OH)NO3 blue basic salt Soluble CoS black ppt. Insoluble
yellow solution warming, pink ppt. ppt. or black ppt.

Confirmatory Tests of the Ammonium Sulfide Group

IONS Reagents Formula Color & Nature
K4Fe(CN) 6 Zn2Fe(CN) 6 or K2Zn3[Fe(CN) 6] 2 White ppt.
Zn2+
Rinmann’s Green Test [Co(NO3)2, NH4OH] CoZnO2 Green ash
A. Aluminon Test [NH4OH, Aluminom] Al(OH) 3 White gelatinous ppt. to red lake with aluminon
Al3+
B. Thenard’s Blue Test [ NH4OH, Co(NO3)2] Co(AlO2) 2 Blue ash
NaOH, H2O2 or Na2O2 Na2CrO4 Yellow soln.
A. AgNO3 Ag2CrO4 Brownish red ppt.
Cr3+ B. BaCl2 BaCrO4 Yellow ppt.
C. (CH3COO)2Pb, HAc PbCrO4 Yellow ppt.
Vanishing Blue Test H7CrO20 Blue color that tarnishes
A. KCNS - No reaction
Fe2+ B. K4Fe(CN) 6 Fe2Fe(CN) 6 White to blue ppt.
C. K3Fe(CN) 6 Fe3[FE(CN) 6] 2 Turnbull’s blue ppt.
A. KCNS Fe(SCN)+2 Blood red soln.
Fe3+ B. K4Fe(CN) 6 Fe4[Fe(CN) 6] 3 Prussian blue ppt.
C. K3Fe(CN) 6 FeFe(CN)6 or Fe(CN) 3 Brown soln.
Mn2+ HNO3, NaBiO3 HMnO4 Purple soln.
Ni2+ NH4OH, C4H7N2O2 C8H14O4N4Ni or (C4H7O2N2) 2Ni Cherry red ppt.
KNO2, HAc K3Co(NO2)6 Yellow ppt.
Co2+
Vogel’s Reaction [H4SCN, ether/ acetone] (NH4)2Co(SCN)4 Azure Blue soln.
 Comparative Reactions of the Ammonium Sulfide Group
IONS NH4OH Excess NH4OH NH4Cl & NH4OH (NH4)2S NaOH Excess NaOH Na2O2 or H2O2

Mn2+ Mn(OH)2 white to light MnS flesh or Mn(OH)2 white to light MnO2.H2O brown
Insoluble Soluble Insoluble
brown ppt. of MnO2.H2O salmon ppt. brown ppt. of MnO2.H2O ppt.
Fe3+ Fe(OH)3 reddish brown Fe(OH)3 reddish
Insoluble Fe2S3 black ppt. Fe(OH)3 reddish brown ppt Insoluble No Action
ppt brown ppt
Fe2+ Fe(OH)2 white to green to Fe(OH)2 white to green to Fe(OH)3 reddish
Insoluble Soluble FeS black ppt. Insoluble
brown ppt. brown ppt. brown ppt.
Co2+ Co(NH3)4+2 dirty Co(OH)2 blueppt. on Co(OH)3 brown
Co(OH)NO3 blue basic salt Soluble CoS black ppt. Insoluble
yellow solution warming, pink ppt. ppt. or black ppt.

Confirmatory Tests of the Ammonium Sulfide Group

IONS Reagents Formula Color & Nature
A. Aluminon Test [NH4OH, Aluminom] Al(OH) 3 White gelatinous ppt. to red lake with aluminon
Al3+
B. Thenard’s Blue Test [ NH4OH, Co(NO3)2] Co(AlO2) 2 Blue ash
NaOH, H2O2 or Na2O2 Na2CrO4 Yellow soln.
A. AgNO3 Ag2CrO4 Brownish red ppt.
Cr3+ B. BaCl2 BaCrO4 Yellow ppt.
C. (CH3COO)2Pb, HAc PbCrO4 Yellow ppt.
Vanishing Blue Test H7CrO20 Blue color that tarnishes
K4Fe(CN) 6 Zn2Fe(CN) 6 or K2Zn3[Fe(CN) 6] 2 White ppt.
Zn2+
Rinmann’s Green Test [Co(NO3)2, NH4OH] CoZnO2 Green ash
Mn2+ HNO3, NaBiO3 HMnO4 Purple soln.
A. KCNS Fe(SCN)+2 Blood red soln.
Fe3+ B. K4Fe(CN) 6 Fe4[Fe(CN) 6] 3 Prussian blue ppt.
C. K3Fe(CN) 6 FeFe(CN)6 or Fe(CN) 3 Brown soln.
A. KCNS - No reaction
Fe2+ B. K4Fe(CN) 6 Fe2Fe(CN) 6 White to blue ppt.
C. K3Fe(CN) 6 Fe3[FE(CN) 6] 2 Turnbull’s blue ppt.

Ni2+ NH4OH, C4H7N2O2 C8H14O4N4Ni or (C4H7O2N2) 2Ni Cherry red ppt.