Anions

Group 1 :( Salt + Dil. H2SO4)

1. Colour/Odorless Gas with brisk effervescence – Carbonate(CO3-2)
a. Aq. Sol + MgSO4 gives white ppt
i.Na2CO3 + H2SO4 →Na2SO4 + CO2 + H2O
ii.
CO2 + CaOH → CaCO3
iii. Na2CO3 + MgSO4 → Na2SO4 + MgCO3
2.Colourless gas with bad/pungent smell, turns (CH3COO)2Pb(lead acetate) paper Black – Sulphide
(S-2)
a. Aq Sol + Sodium Nitroprusside gives violet Colour
i.

Na2S + H2SO4 → H2S + NaSO4

ii.H2S + (CH3COO)2Pb → PbS(Black)

iii.Na2S + Na2[Fe(CN)5NO] → Na4[Fe(CN)5NOS]

3. Colourless gas with pungent odour, turns K2Cr2O7 paper green - Sulphite (SO3-2)
a.Aq. Sol + BaCl2 gives white ppt, soluble in conc. HCl
i.

Na2SO3 + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + H2O + SO2

ii.SO2 + K2CrO7 + H2SO4 → K2SO4 + Cr2(SO4)3 + HCl

iii.Na2SO3 + BaCl2 → NaCl + BaSO3 → BaCl2 + SO2 + H2O

4.Brown fumes, treatment with dil. H2SO4 changes colour to orange - Nitrite (NO2-)
a.Aq. Sol + FeSO4 gives Black ppt
i.
NaNO2 + H2SO4 → 2HNO2 + Na2SO4
ii.
3HNO2 → H2O + NO2 + HNO3
iii.FeSO4 + NO → FeSO4NO
Group 2 :( Salt + Conc. H2SO4)

1.Pungent Smelling gas gives white fumes with rod dipped in NH4OH – Chloride (Cl-)

a.Aq. Sol + AgNO3 gives white ppt, soluble in NH4OH

b.Chromyl Chloride Test : Salt + Potassium Dichromate + conc. H2SO4 gives orange vapours
on heating, NaOH vapours passed gives yellow solution, acetic acid + lead acetate added
gives yellow ppt.

i.NaCl + H2SO4 → HCl +NaHSO4

ii.HCl + NH4OH → NH4Cl

iii.AgNO3 + NaCl → AgCl

iv.AgCl + NH4OH → Ag(NH3)2Cl + H2O

v.2NaCl + K2Cr2O7 + 3H2SO4 → K2SO4 + Na2SO4 + 2CrO2Cl2

vi.CrO2Cl2 + 4NaOH → Na2CrO4 + 2NaCl + 2H2O

vii.Na2CrO4 + (CH3COO)2Pb → 2 CH3COONa + PbCrO4

2.Brown Fumes, Do not intensify on adding Copper Turnings – Bromide (Br-)
a.AgNO3 Test : Aq. Sol + AgNO3 sol. Gives creamy yellow ppt. partially soluble in NH4OH

b.Layer Test : Aq. Sol + KMnO4 + conHNO3(1:4) shake well + CHCl3 → Yellow Layer

i.NaBr + H2SO4 → NaHSO4 + HBr

ii.2HBr + O2 → Br2 + O2

iii.NaBr + AgNO3 → AgBr + NaNO3

 iv.AgBr + NH4OH → Ag(NH3)2Br

v.NaBr + Cl2 → 2NaCl + Br2

vi.Br2 + CCl4 → Yellow Layer

3.Violet Fumes – Iodide (I-)

a.AgNO3 Test : gives yellow ppt insoluble in NH4OH

b.Layer Test : Violet Layer

i.All of Br- except no iv
4.Brown Fumes which intensify with addition of copper turnings (Without, barely visible) – Nitrate
(NO3-)

a.Ring Test: Aq. Sol + FeSO4 Drip conc. H2SO4 from the side of the test tube

i.NaNO3 + H2SO4 → NaHSO4 + HNO3

ii.4HNO3 (Heat) → 4NO2 + H2O + O2

iii.Cu + HNO3 → Cu(NO3)2 + 2NO2 + 2NO

iv.FeSO4 + HNO3 + H2SO4 → FeSO4.NO Ring Test

5.Colourless gas with vinegar like smell – Acetate (CH3COO-)

a.FeCl3 + Aq. Sol → Blood Red Colour

i.CH3COONa + H2SO4 → NaHSO4 + CH3COOH

ii.CH3COONa + FeCl3 → (CH3COO)3Fe + NaCl

6.Colourless, Odourless Gas, turns limewater milky – Oxalate (C2O42-)
a.
Acidified KMnO4 + Na2C2O4 → Decolourises KMnO4

b.Aq. Sol + CaCl2 → White ppt.

i.Na2C2O4 + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + CO2 + H2O

ii.5C2O42- + 2MnO4- + 16 H+ → 2Mn+2 + 10CO2 + 8H2O

iii.Na2C2O4 + CaCl2 → CaC2O4 + 2NaCl

Group 3: (Independent Group)
1. Sulphate (SO4
2-)

a.Aq. Sol. + BaCl2 (soln) gives a white ppt, insoluble in conc. HCl.

i.Aq. Sol + (CH3COO)Pb + Acetic Acid → White ppt

ii.Na2SO4 + BaCl2 → 2NaCl + BaSO4

iii.Na2SO4 + (CH3COO)2Pb → PbSO4 + CH3COONa

2.Phosphate ( PO43-)
a.Aq. Sol + HNO3 (conc), heat, add Ammonium Molybdate, heat again to give yellow ppt.
i.Na3PO4 + 2HNO3 + 12(NH4)MoO4 → (NH4)3PO4.12MoO3 + 21NH4NO3 + 12H2O

Cations
1. Zero Group
a.Salt + NaOH gives pungent smelling gas, white fumes with conc HCl rod – NH4+

i.Aq. Sol + NaOH + Nessler’s Reagent → Brownish yellow ppt

1.NH4C2O4 + NaOH → NH3 + Na2C2O4 + H2O

2.NH3 + HCl → NH4Cl

3.NH4C2O4 + K2HgI4 → H2N – HgO – HgI2 + C2O4-

2.Group 1 (OS + dil HCl)
a.White ppt, soluble in hot water – Lead (Pb+2)
i.Divide sol into 2
1.Add KI gives yellow ppt

2.Add K2Cr2O7 gives yellow ppt

ii.Pb(NO3)2 + HCl → PbCl2 + HNO3

iii.PbCl2 + 2KI → PbI2

iv.PbCl2 + K2CrO4 → PbCrO4 + 2KCl

3.Group 2 (Group 1 Sol, pass H2S)
a.Black ppt – Copper (Cu+2)
i.Add 50% HNO3 and heat. Add NH4OH in excess and divide
1.Divide sol into 2 parts
a.CH3COOH and Potassium Ferrocyanide gives Chocolate Brown
ppt

b.CH3COOH and KI gives white ppt

ii.CuS + HNO3 → Cu(NO3)2

iii.Cu(NO3)2 + NH4OH → [Cu(NH3)4]+2(OH)2

iv.Cu+2 + [Fe(CN)6]-2 → Cu2[Fe(CN)6]

v.Cu+2 + I- → CuI2

b.Yellow Solution – Arsenic (As+3)
i.Add 50% HNO3 and Ammonium Molybdate added to yellow solution which is

heated strongly to give yellow ppt

ii.As2S3 + HNO3 → 2H2AsO4 + 10NO2 + 3S + H2O

iii.H2AsO4 + 12(NH4)MoO4 + 21 HNO3 → (NH4)3AsO4 + 12MoO4 + 21(NH4)NO3 +

12H2O
4.Group 3 (add HNO3, boil off H2S add NH4Cl (solid), cool and add NH4OH in excess)
a.Reddish Brown ppt – Ferrous/Ferric (Fe+2/Fe+3)
i.Filter ppt and dissolve in dil. HCl Divide into 3 parts
1.Add Ammonium Sulphocyanide/ Ammonium Thiocyanate→blood red
colour
2.Add K4[Fe(CN)6] → Deep Blue Ppt

3.Add NaOH → white ppt

ii.FeCl3 + 3NH4OH → Fe(OH)3 + 3NH4Cl

iii.Fe(OH)3 + 3HCl → FeCl3 + 3H2O

iv.FeCl3 + 3NH4SCN → Fe(SCN)3 + 3NH4Cl

v.FeCl3 + 3NaOH → Fe(OH)3 + 3NaCl
b.Gelatinous White ppt – Aluminium (Al+3)
i.Filter and dissolve in dil HCl. Add few drops of blue litmus and NH4OH in excess

→ Red solution with blue lake is formed

ii.AlCl3 + 3NH4OH → NH4Cl + Al(OH)3

iii.Al(OH)3 + 3HCl → AlCl3 + 3H2O

c.Divide solution into 3 parts
5.Group 4 (Group 3 Solution,pass H2S gas)
a.Dirty White/Grey ppt – Zinc (Zn+2)
i.Filter and dissolve ppt in HCl. Divide into 2
1.Add K4[Fe(CN)6] → Greenish white ppt
 2.NaOH → White ppt

ii.ZnS + HCl → ZnCl2 + H2S(gas)

iii.ZnCl2 + NaOH → Zn(OH)2 + 2NaCl

iv.Zn(OH)2 + NaOH → Na2ZNO2 + 2H2O

v.ZnCl2 + K4[Fe(CN)6] → Zn2[Fe(CN)6] + 4KCl

b.Buff ppt – Manganese (Mn+2)

i.Filter and dissolve ppt in HCl, add NaOH gives white ppt

ii.MnS + 2HCl → MnCl2 + H2S

iii.MnCl2 + 2NaOH → Mn(OH)2 + 2NaCl

c.Black ppt – Ni+2/Co+2
i.Filter ppt and dissolve in aqua regia, heat and divide into 2 parts
1.Add dimethylglyoxime and NH4OH solution – Cherry red ppt, Ni+2
confirmed
2.Add NaOH – Sky blue/ Prussian Blue colour, Co+2 confirmed
6.Group 5 (Group 3 Sol + (NH4)2CO3)
a. White ppt

i.Dissolve in acetic acid and divide into 3

1.Add K2CrO4 → Yellow ppt (Ba+2)

2.Add (NH4)2SO4 → White ppt (Sr+2)

3.Add Ammonium Oxalate → White ppt(Ca+2)

ii.All reactions are similar for Ba/Sr/Ca – check indi reactions for final

iii.BaCl2 + (NH4)2CO3 → BaCO3 + NH4Cl

iv.BaCO3 + CH3COOH → (CH3COO)2Ba + CO2 + H2O

v.Barium (CH3COO)2Ba + K2CrO4 → CH3COOK + BaCrO4