Tests for Alcohols

Alcohols are organic compounds containing the hydroxyl functional group. They are
formed

by replacing the hydrogen atom of a hydrocarbon with a -OH group. Alcohols are
classified

as monohydric, dihydric and trihydric depending on the number of hydroxyl groups.

They are

further classified as primary (1), secondary (2�) and tertiary (3�) according to
the

hydroxyl group attached to primary, secondary and tertiary carbon atoms

respectively. Methyl

alcohol and ethyl alcohol are the simplest alcohols.

Our aim here is to identify alcohols using some simple tests.

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They are:

Sodium metal test

Ester test
Ceric ammonium nitrate test
Acetyl chloride test
Iodoform test
Lucas test

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Sodium Metal Test

Materials required: Organic compound, anhydrous calcium sulphate,

sodium metal, test tubes, funnel, filter papers, spatula and forceps.

Procedure:

Take a small quantity of organic compound in a test tube.

To this, add a small quantity of anhydrous calcium sulphate using a spatula.

Shake the test tube well to remove any water content in the organic compound.

Filter the contents into another clean dry test tube.

Now, take a small piece of sodium metal using the forceps and place it on a filter
paper.

Dry sodium metal by pressing it between the folds of the filter paper.

Now, put the dry piece of sodium into the organic compound using the forceps.

Alcohol reacts with active metals like sodium to produce effervescence due to the
liberation

of hydrogen gas.
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Ester Test

Materials required:

Organic compound, glacial acetic acid, concentrated sulphuric acid, cold water,
test tube, droppers

and water bath.

Procedure:

Take a small quantity of organic compound in a test tube.

To this, add a small quantity of glacial acetic acid using a dropper.

Using another dropper, add a few drops of concentrated sulphuric acid to the test
tube.

Warm the mixture in a water bath for few minutes. Now, pour the mixture into about
20 milliliters

of cold water taken in a beaker and smell it by wafting.

Alcohol reacts with carboxylic acid in presence of concentrated sulphuric acid to

form fruity

smelling compound called esters.

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Ceric Ammonium Nitrate Test

Materials required:

Organic compound, ceric ammonium nitrate reagent, test tube and dropper.

Procedure:

Take a small quantity of ceric ammonium nitrate reagent using a dropper.

Add it into the test tube containing a small quantity of organic compound.

Shake the test tube well. Alcohols react with ceric ammonium nitrate

to give a red colouration due to the formation of alkoxy cerium (IV) complex.
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Acetyl Chloride Test

Materials required:

Organic compound, anhydrous calcium sulphate, acetyl chloride, ammonium hydroxide,

test

tubes, dropper, spatula, funnel, filter paper and glass rod.

Procedure:

Take a small quantity of organic compound in a test tube.

To this, add a small quantity of anhydrous calcium sulphate using the spatula.

Shake the test tube well to remove any water content in the organic compound.

Filter the contents into another clean dry test tube.

Using the dropper, add a small quantity of acetyl chloride into the compound.

Shake the test tube well. Alcohol reacts with acetyl chloride to give

hydrogen chloride gas.

Now, dip the glass rod in ammonium hydroxide solution and bring it over the mouth
of the

test tube. The hydrogen chloride reacts with ammonium

hydroxide to form white fumes of ammonium chloride.

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Iodoform Test

Materials required:

Organic compound,1% iodine solution, dilute sodium hydroxide, test tube, droppers
and

water bath.

Procedure:

Take a small quantity of organic compound in a test tube.

To this add a small quantity of 1% iodine solution using a dropper.

Then, add dilute sodium hydroxide dropwise until the brown colour of iodine is
discharged.

Warm the mixture gently on a water bath. When alcohol containing CH3-CH-OH group is

warmed with sodium hydroxide solution and iodine, a yellow precipitate of iodoform
is
formed.
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Lucas Test

Materials required:

Primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols, Lucas reagent, dropper and water bath.

Procedure:

Take small quantity of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohol in three different
tests

tubes labeled as A, B and C. Using the dropper, add a small quantity of

Lucas reagent into tertiary alcohol taken in test tube C.

Shake the test tube well. Tertiary alcohol reacts instantaneously with

Lucas reagent to form alkyl chloride, which being insoluble, results in cloudiness
in

the solution.

Then add a small quantity of Lucas reagent into secondary alcohol taken in test
tube

B and shake the test tube well. Secondary alcohol reacts in about 1-5 minutes

with Lucas reagent to form alkyl chloride, which being insoluble, results in
cloudiness

in the solution.

Now add a small quantity of Lucas reagent into primary alcohol taken in test tube A

and shake the test tube well. Warm the test tube on a water bath.

On warming, primary alcohol reacts with the Lucas reagent to form alkyl chloride,
which

being insoluble, results in cloudiness in the solution.