EXPERIMENT 8

CLASSIFICATION TEST FOR

ORGANIC HALIDES
 EXPERIMENT 8
Classification Tests for Organic Halides (Group 2)

Compounds used Condensed Beilstein Test Reaction with 2% Reaction with

Structural ethanolic AgNO3 15% NaI in
Formula anhydrous
acetone

Chlorophenol Green flame No precipitation No precipitation

Chlorobenzene Green flame White precipitate White precipitate

(9 seconds) (3 seconds)

Sec-butyl Green flame White precipitate White precipitate

chloride (2 mins)

Tert-butyl Green flame White precipitate White precipitate

chloride (18 secs)
Groups Compounds Beilstein Test Reaction with 2% Reaction with 15%
ethanolic AgNO3 NaI in anhydrous
acetone

1 Chlorophenol Green flame No precipitation No precipitation

Chlorobenzene Green flame White precipitate White precipitate

2 Chlorophenol Green flame No precipitation No precipitation

Chlorobenzene Green flame White precipitate White precipitate

(9 seconds) (3 seconds)
____ _____
3 Chlorophenol Green flame

Chlorobenzene Green flame No precipitation No reaction

4 Chlorophenol Green flame No precipitation No precipitation

Chlorobenzene Green flame White precipitate White precipitate

(6 seconds) (2.5 seconds)
Green flame ____
5 Chlorophenol No precipitation
Green flame White precipitate
Chlorobenzene White precipitate (2.5sec)
(9.6sec)

6 Chlorophenol Green flame No Reaction

Chlorobenzene Green flame White precipitate

(30 seconds)
a. Positive with Beilstein test :

• n-butyl chloride
• sec-butyl chloride
• tert-butyl chloride
• chlorobenzene
b. Most sn1 reactive:
• tert butyl chloride
c. Most sn2 reactive:
• n-butyl chloride
d.Unreactive:
• chlorobenzene
2. Which among the organic halides are not reactive
toward SN1 and SN2?
Chlorobenzene is not reactive towards Sn1 and
Sn2 because it is an aromatic compound and it forms a
double bond between carbon and chlorine due to
resonance in the benzene ring. There is no way that you
can form a carbanion (an organic anion in which the
negative charge is located on a carbon atom) on an
aromatic ring, and this is essential to the Sn1 and Sn2
mechanisms. Also, the bond is strong, therefore,
ionization to a carbocation is a high-energy process and
aryl cations are highly unstable.