Functional Groups

AIM – To identify the functional groups present in an organic compound through;

 Tests for Alcoholic Group

 Tests for Phenolic Group
 Tests for Aldehydic and Ketonic Groups
 Tests for Carboxylic Groups
 Tests for Amino group

Materials Required – Given organic sample, test tubes, test tube stand,
test tube holder & distilled water.

For alcohol – Cerric ammonium nitrate, acetic acid

For Phenol – litmus solution, Neutral ferric chloride.
For Aldehyde – 2,4-Dintrophenyl hydrazine (DNP), Fehling’s Solution A & B, Tollen’s Reagent
For Ketone – 2,4-Dintrophenyl hydrazine (DNP), Sodium Nitro Prusside (SNP)
For Carboxylic Acid – Litmus solution, Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate , Ethanol
For Amines – Conc. HCl + Sodium Nitrite, β-naphthol

Physical Properties – a) Smell: ____________

b) Colour:___________
c) State: ____________

Procedure –

Tests for Alcoholic Group

Experiment Observation Inference

Take about 1 ml of the give liquid in a clean dry test tube, add
Presence
about 1 ml glacial acetic acid and 2-3 drops of conc. sulphuric A fruity
of
Ester Test acid. Warm the mixture on a water bath for about 10 minutes. smell is
alcoholic
Pour it into about 20 ml of cold water taken in a beaker and produced.
group.
smell.

Ceric Presence
Take about 1 ml of the given liquid in a clean dry test tube and
Ammonium red colour is of
add few drops of ceric ammonium nitrate reagent and shake it
Nitrate developed. alcoholic
well.
Test group.
 Tests for Phenolic Group
Experiment Observation Inference

Presence
Blue litmus of
Litmus Test Add Blue litmus solution in the given organic sample
turns to red. phenoilc
group.

Presence
Ferric chloride Take about 2 ml of given organic sample + 3- 4 drops Violet colour of
Test neutral ferric chloride solution is seen. phenolic
group.

Tests for Aldehydic and Ketonic Groups

Experiment Observation Inference

Take a small quantity of the given organic sample

Presence of
2, 4 - in a clean dry test tube, Now add few drops of Yellow or orange
aldehydic
Dintrophenyl 2, 4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine solution. Cork the colour / ppt is
group is
hydrazine Test test tube, shake the mixture and allow it to stand formed.
confirmed
for 5 minutes.

Tests for Aldehydes

Experiment Observation Inference

Tollen’s Take about 1 ml of silver nitrate solution in a clean test tube Presence
Test and add 2-3 ml of dilute NaOH solution. A brown precipitate Shining of
(Silver of silver oxide forms. Now add NH4OH drop wise until the silver mirror aldehydic
mirror brown precipitate of silver oxide just dissolves. To this add is formed. group is
test) 3-4 drops of the given organic sample and warm the test confirmed.
tube on a water bath for about 5 minutes.
Presence
Reddish
Take 1 ml each of Fehling’s solution A and B in a test tube. of
Fehling’s Brown
Add 4-5 drops of the given organic liquid and warm the test aldehydic
Test precipitate
in a water bath for 4-5 minutes. group is
is formed.
confirmed.
 Tests for Ketones
Experiment Observation Inference

Presence
Sodium Take 3 ml of given organic sample + add few drops of Red of ketonic
Nitroprusside Test SNP solution + Add fes drops of NaOH Solution colouration. group is
confirmed.

Tests for Carboxylic Group

Experiment Observation Inference

Presence of
Take 3 ml of given organic sample + add few drops Blue litmus turns
Litmus Test carboxylic
of blue litmus solution to red.
group.

Sodium
Brisk Presence of
Hydrogen Take 3 ml of the given organic sample in a test tube
effervescence is carboxylic
Carbonate and add a pinch of sodium bicarbonate to it.
observed. group.
Test

Take a small quantity of the given organic sample in

a clean test tube, add 1 ml of ethyl alcohol and 1-2 Presence of
You get a fruity
Ester Test drops of conc. sulphuric acid into it. Heat the carboxylic
smell.
reaction mixture on a water bath for about 5 group.
minutes.

Tests for Amino Group

Experiment Observation Inference

Presence
Take 3 ml of the given organic sample in a test tube and add of
Formation
Azo-Dye a mixture of Conc. HCl and aqueous solution of sodium aromatic
of a red or
Test nitrite + small quantity of β-naphthol solution. Place the primary
orange dye.
test tubes in an ice bath. amine is
confirmed.

Result – ___________ group was present in the given organic compound.