Lab Report Organic Chemistry (Experiment 7) Lim Wey Loon
Lab Report Organic Chemistry (Experiment 7) Lim Wey Loon
PRACTICAL GROUP: P1
Objectives:
1. To test the properties of alcohols, aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes and ketones.
2. To differentiate between alcohols, aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes and ketones.
3. To determine the relation between structure and reaction to iodine-iodide reagent.
4. To determine the class of compounds and possible structure of unknown A, unknown
B and unknown C.
Introduction:
Aldehyde is a class of organic compound in which one side of the carbon of the
carbonyl group is bonded to a hydrogen atom through a single bond. The other side is also
singly bonded to another atom or groups of atoms, generally designated as R. Many
aldehydes have pleasant odours and are derived from alcohols by dehydrogenation (March,
2022). Aldehydes have both IUPAC system names and common names. In the IUPAC
system, aldehydes are named with -al as the suffix. Examples are methanal with two
hydrogen atoms bonded to the carbonyl carbon, ethanal with one methyl group and one
hydrogen atom bonded to the carbonyl carbon. The common names have the suffix -
aldehyde. For example, formaldehyde is the common name of methanal and acetaldehyde is
the common name of ethanal (LibreTexts Chemistry, 2021).
Ketones are organic compounds which the carbonyl carbon is bonded to two groups
of atoms (not hydrogen atom). They can be synthesised by a wide variety of methods due to
the relative stability and high reactivity of ketones (Brown, 2023). Ketones also have both
IUPAC systems name and common names. In the IUPAC system, ketones are named with
-one as the suffix. Examples are propanone with two methyl groups bonded to the carbonyl
carbon and 2-pentanone with a propyl group and a methyl group bonded to the carbonyl
carbon. The common names have the name of substituent follow by the suffix ketone. For
instance, acetone is the common name of propanone and methyl propyl ketone is the common
name of 2-pentanone (LibreTexts Chemistry, 2021).
Chemicals/ Reagents:
Glasswares:
Test tubes
Experimental Procedure:
C) Fehling’s test
E) Iodoform test
Discussion:
1. Acetaldehyde:
3CH3CHO + 2H2CrO4 +6H+ 3CH3COOH + 2Cr3+ + 5H2O
2. Isopropyl alcohol:
3(CH3)2CHOH + 2H2CrO4 +6H+ 3(CH3)2C=O + 2Cr3+ + 8H2O
Chromic acid, H2CrO4, is a strong acid and a reagent for oxidizing alcohols to
ketones and carboxylic acids. Secondary alcohols are oxidized to ketones. It will also oxidise
an aldehyde to a carboxylic acid (LibreTexts Chemistry, 2023a). The oxidation of aldehydes
occurs through the reversible nucleophilic addition of water to the carbonyl to form a gem-
diol functional group. Ketones do not have hydrogen atom attached to their carbonyl carbons,
they are resistant to oxidation. Only very strong oxidizing agents such as potassium
manganate (VII) (potassium permanganate) solution oxidize ketones (LibreTexts Chemistry,
2023b). Benzaldehyde cannot be oxidised by chromic acid as it cannot form a stable gem-diol
group in water (Adi Chemistry, n.d.).
1. Acetaldehyde:
CH3CHO + 2Ag(NH3)2OH +OH- CH3COO- + 2Ag + 4NH3 + 2H2O
2. Benzaldehyde:
C6H5CHO + 2Ag(NH3)2OH +OH- C6H5COO- + 2Ag + 4NH3 + 2H2O
3. Isopropyl alcohol:
(CH3)2CHOH + 2Ag(NH3)2OH (CH3)2C=O + 2Ag + 4NH3 + 2H2O
where R represents CH3 in acetaldehyde and C6H5 in benzaldehyde (Chemistry Learner, n.d.).
In hydroxide medium, the final product exist in carboxylate ion.
The chemical equations for Fehling’s test are as follows:
1. Acetaldehyde:
CH3CHO + 2Cu2+ +5OH- CH3COO- + Cu2O + 3H2O
1. Acetaldehyde
CH3-(C=O)-H + C6H3(NO2)2NHNH2 C6H3(NO2)2NHN=CHCH3 + H2O
2. Benzaldehyde
C6H5-(C=O)-H + C6H3(NO2)2NHNH2 C6H3(NO2)2NHN=CHC6H5 + H2O
3. Acetophenone
C6H5-(C=O)-CH3 + C6H3(NO2)2NHNH2 C6H3(NO2)2NHN=C(CH3)C6H5 + H2O
4. 3-Pentanone
C2H5-(C=O)-C2H5 + C6H3(NO2)2NHNH2 C6H3(NO2)2NHN=C(C2H5)2 + H2O
1. Acetaldehyde:
CH3CHO + 3I2 + 4OH- HCOO- + CHI3 + 3I- + 3H2O
2. Acetophenone:
C6H5COCH3 + 3I2 + 4OH- C6H5COO- + CHI3 + 3I- + 3H2O
3. Isopropyl alcohol:
(CH3)2CHOH + 4I2 + 6OH- CH3COO- + CHI3 + 5I- + 5H2O
The iodoform test is used to determine whether a given unknown chemical contains
carbonyl compounds (such as aldehydes and ketones) with the structure R-CO-CH3 or
alcohols with the structure R-CH(OH)-CH3 (Clark, 2004). A pale yellow precipitate of
iodoform is formed when iodine and sodium hydroxide solutions are added to the chemical
containing the structure mentioned above.
Precaution Steps:
In the oxidation by chromic acid, aliphatic aldehyde and secondary alcohol can be
oxidised by chromic acid. Aromatic aldehyde and ketones cannot be oxidised by chromic
acid.
In the reaction with Tollen’s reagent, aldehyde shows positive results in Tollen’s test
before heating. Alcohols show positive result in Tollen’s test after heating. Ketones
theoretically show negative results, therefore, indicating a mistake in this experiment.
In the reaction with Fehling’s solution, aliphatic aldehyde gives positive result in
Fehling’s test. Aromatic aldehyde, ketones and alcohols show negative results in Fehling’s
test.
When reacting with Brady’s reagent, aldehydes form a yellow precipitate while
ketones form an orange precipitate. Alcohols show negative results when reacting with
Brady’s reagent.
Only aldehydes or ketones with the structure or alcohols with the structure
Unknown A is not oxidised by chromic acid, form silver mirror before heating in
Tollen’s test, shows negative result in Fehling’s test, forms yellow precipitate when reacting
with Brady’s reagent and shows negative result in iodoform test. Hence, unknown A is an
aromatic aldehyde.
Unknown B is not oxidised by chromic acid, form silver mirror after heating in
Tollen’s test, shows negative result in Fehling’s test, forms orange precipitate when reacting
with Brady’s reagent and shows positive result in iodoform test. Therefore, unknown B is a
Unknown C is oxidised by chromic acid, form silver mirror after heating in Tollen’s
test, shows negative result in Fehling’s test, shows negative results when reacting with
Brady’s reagent and shows negative result in iodoform test. Hence, unknown C is not an
aldehyde or ketone .
Reference:
Adi Chemistry, n.d.. Jones Reagent & Oxidation Reaction. [online] Available at
<http://www.adichemistry.com/organic/organicreagents/jones/jones-reagent-reaction-1.html>
[Accessed 15 March, 2023].
Clark, J., 2004. The Triiodomethane (Iodoform) Reaction with Aldehydes and Ketones.
[online] Available at <https://www.chemguide.co.uk/organicprops/carbonyls/iodoform.html>
[Accessed 16 March, 2023].
Kare, D., 2022. Iodoform Test: Definition, Mechanism and Test for Alcohol. [online]
Available at <https://testbook.com/learn/chemistry-iodoform-test/> [Accessed 15 March,
2023].
National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2023. PubChem Compound Summary for
CID 3772977, 2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine. [online]. Available at
<https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/2_4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine> [Accessed 15
March, 2023].
Vedantu, 2023b. Questions and Answers: Test for Aldehydes and Ketones. [online] Available
at <https://www.vedantu.com/question-answer/benzaldehyde-gives-a-positive-test-with-
which-of-class-12-chemistry-cbse-5f37cbc00fb754474e250877> [Accessed 16 March, 2023].