COLOR REACTIONS

Color reactions are useful to determine sterol structure by dehydration and

salt formation. Generally strong acids are used

1. Liebermann burchard reaction:

Chloroform soluble sample + conc. H2SO4 + Acetic anhydride

green color

+ve test for stenols 5

give color 30 minutes

+ve test for stenols 7 give color 1.5 minutes

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2. Salkowaski reaction:
Chloroform soluble sample. + conc. Sulphuric acid

Red color in chloroform layer

Green color in sulphuric acid layer

+ve test for cholesterol

3. Rosenheim test:

Chloroform sterol sample + 90% trichloro acetic acid

Blue color or pink color

+ve test for sterols

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4. Lifschutz test:
Sterol sample. + per benzoic acid + glacial acetic acid

(addition of sulphuric acid)

Intense blue color or green color

+ve test for sterol

5. Fisher test:
Sterol sample + selenium dioxide + benzene

20C

5-alpha series give yellow color

5-beta series give no color
+ve test for 5-alpha series

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6. Tortelli-Jaffe test:
Sterol sample in acetic acid + 2 % bromine soln. in chloroform

Green color
+ve test for sterol

STRUCTURES OF C-27 to C-30 STEROLS:

1. C-27 Sterol:
Molecular formula: C27H46O

Specific rotation: - 40

Occurrence: solid matter in human brain 0. 05% - 5% in all tissues

Isolation: spinal cord and brain of cattle

Significance: vitamin D3 synthesis, steroidal hormones, bile acids

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