Title: Functional Group Analysis 

Aim: To carry out confirmatory test for various functional groups present in
different organic compounds. 

Apparatus: Test-tubes, test-tube racks, test-tube holders, beakers, water baths and droppers 

Reagents: Acidified potassium permanganate, acidified potassium

dichromate, Tollens’s reagent, ethanol, acetone, glucose solution, hexane, 1-
hexene and Benedict’s solution 

Method: 
1) Alkanes and Alkenes (Acidified potassium permanganate) 
Acidified potassium permanganate solution was added dropwise to
two test-tubes containing a small amount of an alkane and an alkene. 
2) Acetone and ethanol (hot acidified potassium permanganate) 
Acidified potassium permanganate was added dropwise to two test-tubes
containing a small amount of acetone and ethanol respectively. 
3) Acetone and ethanol (hot acidified potassium dichromate) 
A small amount of acidified potassium dichromate was added to two test-tubes
containing a small amount of acetone and ethanol respectively. 
4) Acetone and glucose (Tollens’s reagent) 
To two test-tubes containing a small amount of Tollens’s reagent, four drops of
acetone and glucose solution was added. In a water bath gentle heating was
applied.  
5) Acetone and Glucose (Benedict’s Solution) 
To two test-tubes containing a small amount of Benedict’s solution, a few drops
of acetone and glucose solution was added respectively. It was then heated
gently in a water bath. 

Results:
Test  Observation  Inference

1. Alkanes and   Hexene (colourless liquid)  Alkanes are called saturated

Alkenes with   With the first drop no colour change hydrocarbons because each
acidified   occurred. After a few drops of KMnO4 carbon is bonded with as 
potassium   was added, a purple color was seen. many hydrogen atoms as  
permanganate After an excess was added, a brown possible. KMnO4 will not react
color was observed at the surface and at with alkanes since they are
the bottom of the liquid. Brown color saturated. Potassium  
represents MnO2 present.   Permanganate is a strong  
oxidant, so when hexene was 
Hexane (colourless liquid) added it oxidized. The hexene
was oxidized to a diol. and the 

A purple layer formed at the bottom of KMnO4 was converted to

the liquid after 3 drops. Spherical MnO2 indicating a positive
 purple layer observed at the bottom and reaction.
purple layer at the top. Purple color was
observed in the
end. 

2. Acetone and   Acetone  The reaction of acetone with

ethanol with   No color changes.  potassium permanganate will
hot acidified   yield no products. This is  
potassium   Ethanol   because alkanes such as hexane
permanganate Upon adding hot acidified and ketones such as acetone
potassium permanganate, the liquid cannot be oxidized by  
changed from colorless to yellow.  potassium permanganate. 
Ethanol, on the other hand is a
primary alcohol, which means
when oxidized it produces a
carboxylic acid (ethanoic acid).
This reaction decolorized the
KMnO4.

3. Acetone and   Acetone  After K2CrO7 was added to both

ethanol with   There was no color change.  compounds, yellow Cr6+ was
hot acidified   formed. After the ethanol
potassium   Ethanol  mixture was heated yellow Cr6+
dichromate Upon adding hot potassium dichromate, was reduced to green Cr3+.
the orange solution turned green. Ethanol was oxidized to ethanoic
acid. However, the acetone did
not react even after heating.
Because the oxidizing strength of
K2CrO7 was not  strong enough.

4. Tollens’s   Acetone  Tollens' reagent is used to

reagent with   No reaction occurred   determine whether a carbonyl
acetone and   containing compound is an
glucose Glucose  aldehyde or a ketone. Acetone is
A dark grey precipitate was formed on a ketone so it will not readily
the bottom sides of the test-tubes that   react with Tollens' reagent.
confirmed the presence of reducing Glucose contains an aldehyde
sugars and spots of silver could be seen group, known as an aldose which
on the test tube.  is a reducing sugar. The silver
ions in glucose were reduced by
the tollen's reagent, to silver
atoms. They deposited to form
silver mirrors on the sides of the
test tube. The

aldehyde was oxidized to form a

carboxylic acid.
5. Benedict’s   Glucose  Benedict's solution contains the
solution with   Solution remained blue after a few drops blue, aqueous copper (II) ion.
acetone and   of glucose was added. A brown layer This is a poor oxidizing agent.
glucose gradually appeared at the surface after a Ketones are not readily  
period of the solution being added to the oxidized, but aldehydes oxidize
water bath. The   very easily. When glucose (an
brown color spread throughout the entire aldehyde) is mixed with  
solution then changed from a dark brick Benedict's reagent and heated, a
red to a red color. A deeper red color reduction reaction which causes
was seen settling at the bottom of the the Benedict's reagent to change
test-tube. Acetone  color. The color varies from  
The acetone blue color remained the green to dark red (brick) or rusty-
same.  brown, depending on the amount
of and type of sugar. In contrast to
glucose, acetone is a ketone.
Ketones do not react with
benedict’s solution because the
ketone group in ketoses cannot be
converted to a  
carboxylic acid group.

Conclusion: The test carried out were successful and the results for each tabulated