Chemical Test

Test Reagent Observation Inference Chemical equation

Bromine test
Presence of C – C
Bromine test Br2 / CH2Cl2 CH3 CH3
Reddish-brown solution of double bond (multiple Br2 / CH2Cl2
(identification test for
In dark bromine decolourises. bond) CH3C CH2 in dark CH3C CH2
alkenes)
 Alkene Br Br

Bromine water test:

Phenol:
Br
Br2 / H2O
OH Br OH
Reddish-brown solution of
Bromine water test white precipitate
Br2 / H2O bromine decolourises, Br
(confirmatory test for Phenol or Aniline:
White precipitate is
phenol & aniline)
formed. Aniline:
Br
Br2 / H2O
NH2 Br NH2
white precipitate
Br

Alkenes
Purple solution of KMnO4 Presence of C – C
Baeyer’s test KMnO4 / OH KMnO4 / OH-
decolourises; double bond (multiple
(identification test for Cold brown precipitate is bond)
CH2 cold CH2 + MnO2
alkenes) (Baeyer’s reagent) formed.  Alkene OH OH brown precipitate

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 Test Reagent Observation Inference Chemical equation

Aliphatic aldehyde:
brick-red precipitate is Aliphatic aldehyde: O O
Cu2+ complex Cu2O
formed CH2 CH CH2 C +
Cu2+ complex / OH OH-,  - + brick-red
O Na
precipitate
Fehling’s test 
(Fehling’s reagent)
no observable change Aromatic aldehyde or Aromatic aldehyde or ketone: No reaction
ketone

silver mirror is formed Aldehyde Aldehydes

O O
Ag(NH3)2+ Ag
CH2 CH CH2 C +
Ag(NH3)2+ / OH,  OH-,  -
O Ag
+ silver
Tollens’ test mirror
(Tollens’ reagent)
no observable change Ketone
Ketones: no reaction

2019 NBJ/NAB/YGT/KMPP
 Test Reagent Observation Inference Chemical equation

Carboxylic acids:
White fume is observed Presence of OH group
CH3 PCl5 CH3
 Alcohol or
carboxylic acid CH3CH COOH CH3CH COCl + HCl
white fume

PCl5 Alcohols:
OH PCl5 Cl
+ HCl
white fume

no observable change Phenol Phenols: no reaction

Identification test for

hydroxyl group Carboxylic acids:
CH3 CH3
Na
CH3CH COOH CH3CH COO Na
- +
+ H2

Alcohols:
Presence of OH group - +
OH Na O Na
Na Effervescent is observed  Alcohol, Phenol
or carboxylic acid
+ H2

Phenols:
Na - +
OH O Na + H2

2019 NBJ/NAB/YGT/KMPP
 Test Reagent Observation Inference Chemical equation

Methyl carbinol group:

OH O
I2 / NaOH - +
CH CH3 C O Na + CHI3
Compounds have the yellow precipitate
structure of methyl
I2 / NaOH,  Yellow precipitate is carbinol group or
Iodoform test
formed methyl carbonyl
Methyl carbonyl group:
group: O O
I2 / NaOH - +
C CH3 C O Na + CHI3
yellow precipitate

Aldehydes and Ketones

H H2N NH NO 2
Presence of carbonyl
Brady’s test H N NH NO 2 group
Yellow or orange NO 2 N NH NO2
(identification test for  Aldehyde or O
precipitate is formed
carbonyl compounds) NO2 Ketone
(Brady’s reagent) NO2
yellow precipitate

2019 NBJ/NAB/YGT/KMPP
 Test Reagent Observation Inference Chemical equation

no observable change Primary alcohols: Primary alcohols: no reaction

after 10 min of heating
Secondary alcohols:
OH Cl
Lucas test solution becomes cloudy Secondary alcohols: conc. HCl
(identify and Conc. HCl / ZnCl2 after 5 – 10 min ZnCl2
CH3 CH3
distinguish primary,
secondary and tertiary (Lucas reagent)
alcohols) solution becomes cloudy Tertiary alcohols: Tertiary alcohols:
instantly
CH3 conc. HCl CH3
ZnCl2
OH Cl

OH
Confimmatory test for FeCl3
FeCl3 Solution turns purple Phenol Fe(OC6H5)63-
phenol
purple complex

Primary Aliphatic amine:

effervescent is observed Aliphatic primary
amine: NaNO2 / HCl
CH2 NH2
< 5C
CH2 OH + CH2 Cl + N2

NaNO2 / HCl
Nitrous acid test
< 5C
Primary Aromatic amine:
no observable change Aromatic primary
amine: NaNO2 / HCl +
NH2 N N Cl-

<5C
soluble diazonium salt

2019 NBJ/NAB/YGT/KMPP
 Test Reagent Observation Inference Chemical equation

In excess of KOH: clear Primary amine Primary amine:

+
solution O
KOH
H O K O

In addition of HCl: white CH3 CH2 NH2 + Cl S CH3 CH2 N S CH3 CH2 N
-
S

precipitate O O O
soluble salt
H O
HCl
CH3 CH2 N S
O
white precipitate

Secondary amine:
In excess of KOH or HCl: Secondary amine CH3 O CH3 O
O
white precipitate CH3 CH2 NH + Cl S
KOH
CH3 CH2 N S
HCl no reaction
Cl S O O
Hinsberg’s test white precipitate
O ,
KOH followed by
adding HCl
Tertiary amine:
In excess of KOH: two Tertiary amine CH3 O
layers KOH
In addition of HCl: clear CH3 CH2 N + Cl S no reaction
solution CH3 O
CH3
HCl +
CH3 CH2 N H Cl-
CH3
soluble salt

2019 NBJ/NAB/YGT/KMPP