SCHEME FOR IDENTIFICATION OF FUNCTIONAL GROUP IN AN ORGANIC

COMPOUND
Sl.No. Experiment Observation Inference

I Preliminary Tests

1 Color of the substance is noted Brown Presence of amines or phenols.

Presence of aldehydes, ketones,

Colourless acids etc.

2 Smell of the substance is noted. Fishy smell Presence of amine.

Carbolic smell Presence of phenols.

Smell of bitter almonds Presence of aldehyde.

3 A little of the substance is placed Red litmus turns blue Presence of amine.
on a moist litmus paper
Blue litmus turns red Presence of acid or phenol.

4 Test for Unsaturation

a.Bromine test
Organic compound is treated with
bromine water
b.The organic compound is
treated with alkaline KMnO4
Disappearance of brown Presence of unsaturation
colour
Disappearance of pink Presence of unsaturation confirmed
colour

II Identification Tests

1 Test for carboxylic acid with

sodium bicarbonate solution
(NaHCO3 ) - Brisk effervescence Presence of carboxylic acid.
To a little of the substance, add
1ml. of saturated sodium
bicarbonate solution.
Litmus test
A litmus paper dip in the given Blue litmus turns red
organic compound in the test tube

2 Test for Alcohol (Sodium Metal

test)- Brisk effervescence with Presence of alcoholic group.
Given organic compound is the evolution of H2 gas
treated with sodium metal.

3 Test for Phenol-with sodium

hydroxide solution - The substance dissolves Presence phenol.
A little of the substance is shaken and reappears on
with a few drops of NaOH adding conc. HCl.
solution

Test for phenol with neutral

ferric chloride solution- Formation of violet Presence of phenol
To a little of the substance add coloration
1ml. of neutral ferric chloride
 solution

4 Test for amine with dil. HCl- The substance

A little of the substance is shaken disappears and Presence of amine.
with a few drops of dil. HCl reappears on adding
NaOH solution

Litmus test Red litmus turns blue

A litmus paper dip in the given
organic compound in the test tube

5 Schiff’s reagent test- Formation of pink Presence of aldehyde.

A little of the substance is shaken coloured solution
with two drops of Schiff’s reagent Presence of ketone.
No pink precipitate

III Confirmatory Tests

1 Carboxylic Acid (Esterification

test)-
A little of the substance is mixed
with about 1ml. of ethyl alcohol Pleasant fruity smell Presence of carboxylic acid
and a few drops of conc. H2SO4. confirmed.
The mixture is warmed, cooled
and then poured into cold water
taken in a test tube.

2 Alcohol (Ester test)-

A little of the substance is mixed
with glacial acetic acid and conc. Pleasant fruity smell Presence of alcohol confirmed.
H2SO4. The mixture is then
warmed in a water bath for 10
mins.
Ceric Ammonium Nitrate
Test:
Take 1ml of given compound appearance of wine red Presence of alcohol confirmed.
in a dry test tube. Add a few colour precipitate
drops of ceric ammonium
nitrate reagent and shake the
solution well.

3 Phenol-
To a little of the substance add White precipitate Presence of phenol confirmed.
bromine water and shake well.

4 Amine-
Take three test tubes A, B, C.
Organic compound is mixed with
conc. HCl in test tube A. In test
tube B, NaNO2 (sodium nitrite) is Orange-red precipitate Presence of amine confirmed.
dissolved in water. In test tube
C, 𝛃-naphthol solution is mixed
with NaOH. Add sodium nitrite
solution to test tube A, and the
resulting solution is added to test
tube C.

5 Aldehyde(Tollen’s test)-
 A little of the substance is mixed
with Tollen’s reagent and the Shining silver mirror Presence of aldehyde confirmed.
substance is warmed for 10-15
mins.

6 Ketone(Fehling’s Test)-
A little of the substance is mixed
with Fehling’s reagent and is No red precipitate Presence of ketone confirmed.
warmed in a water bath for 10-15
mins.