C

*Medelyn

Observations, Materials and Methods of Alcohol/Phenol Ferric Chloride Test

*Kylie

Observations, Overall reactions of Alcohol/Phenol Ferric Chloride Test

*Rebecca

Observations, Discussions and Conclusion of Alcohol/Phenol Ferric Chloride Test

Materials

Experiment Reagents Material and Equipment

Alcohol/Phenol Ferric Chloride Test Water Test tube
Ethanol Dropper
2-propanol Test tube rack
2-methyl-2-propanol Bond paper
Cyclohexanol Rubber gloves
Salicylic acid
Ferric Chloride

Methods

1. For safety purposes, put on gloves before conducting the experiment.

2. Prepare 6 test tubes for the different reagents (water,ethanol, 2-propanol, 2-methyl-2-propanol, cyclohexanol, and
salicylic acid). Place them in the test tube rack and label each test tube with their corresponding reagent.
3. Drop 1 to 1.5 ml of ferric chloride solution into each test tube.
4. On the first test tube, add a few droplets of water into the ferric chloride solution. Mix them well together by shaking
the test tube for a couple of seconds. Observe the reaction.
5. From the second to the last test tube, do the same procedure. Add small amount of the reagent into the ferric chloride
solution. Be sure to shake them well to see if there are changes in color.
6. Record the coloration before and after addition of the reagent.

C. Alcohol/Phenol Ferric Chloride Test

Alcohol/Phenol Observation Discussion Overall Reaction

Ethanol do not affect the
color of ferric chloride.
Ethanol
The ferric chloride added to
test the ethanol produced no
No reaction
change of color thus, it does
not contain phenols.

2-propanol 2-propanol do not affect the Propanol gave no change of No reaction.

color of FeCl3. color under the ferric
chloride test. 2-propanol
with C3H8OH do not have
enough carbon atoms to
form phenols. Thus, phenols
are not present in this

2-methyl-2-propanol mixed
with ferric chloride do not
show visible change of color.
2-methyl-2-propanol
sample.
2-methyl-2-propanol,
C3H8OH, did not show any
color change after the test
No reaction.
was done. It shows that
phenol is not present in this
sample

Oil has observed sticking in

test tube while mixing.
Cyclohexanol results to a
However, the color of the
constant orange color, even
ferric chloride remain
Cyclohexanol after the ferric chloride test, No reaction.
unchanged with
which shows no presence of
cyclohexanol.
phenols in the sample.

Salicylic acid reacts

Ferric chloride (initially
orange in color) turns into
Salicylic acid
violet after mixing salicylic
acid.
with ferric chloride.
Salicylic acid (C7H6O3)
turns purple under the ferric
Iron exchanged
chloride test, that shows a
position with hydrogen
positive indication that
to form HCl.
phenol in this sample is
present.
3(C7H6O3)+ FeCl3 =>
Fe(C7H5O3) + 3HCl

Conclusion

Ferric acid determines phenols from alcohol. A phenol has a structure of benzene ring with OH group and has sp 2
hybridized carbon. Alcohols simply contain hydroxy group like Ethanol (primary alcohol), 2-propanol (secondary alcohol), 2-
methyl-2-propanol (tertiary alcohol), cyclohexanol (secondary alcohol), and Salicylic acid as phenol.

References

 Smith, J.G. (2008). Organic Chemistry (3rd Ed.). McGraw Hill

 https://byjus.com/chemistry/salicylic-acid/