EXPERIMENT 1 REACTIONS OF ALCOHOL AND PHENOL

INTRODUCTION

Alcohol is an organic compound in which hydroxyl functional group (-OH) is bind to a carbon
atom. General formula for alcohol is CnH2n+1OH. Organic compounds that contain a hydroxyl
group bonded directly to a carbon atom of the benzene ring are called phenol.

OBJECTIVE

To study the reaction of alcohols and phenols.

CHEMICALS

Ethanol

n-butyl alcohol

t-butyl alcohol

Cyclohexanol

Iso amyl alcohol

Phenol

1-Naphtol

10% sodium hydroxide

2-Propanol

Orcinol

Sodium metal

pH indicator

Benzyl alcohol
Tertiary-butyl alcohol

Cholesterol

Resorcinol

Chromic acid

Lucas reagent

Bromine water

Ferric chloride

PROCEDURE

(A) Solubility test

1. Placed 0.5 ml or 0.2-0.5 g each of the following alcohols in six separate test tubes:
Ethanol, n-butyl alcohol, t-butyl akcohol, cyclohexanol, iso-amyl alcohol and phenol.
2. 2ml of water was added to each test tube.
3. The observation was recorded.
(B) Reaction with alkali
1. Placed 0.5 or o.2-0.5 g each of the following alcohols in four separate tubes:
n-butyl alcohol, cyclohexanol, phenol and 1-naphthol.
2. 5ml of 10% sodium hydroxide to each tube was added
3. The result was recorded
(C) Reaction with metallic sodium
1. 2ml of each of the following alcohols in a separate dry test tubes was placed:
Ethanol,1-propanol, 2-propanol and orcinol.
2. A small piece of sodium metal to each test tube was added and the result was noted.
3. Few drops of universal indicator to the solution was added and the observation
result was recorded.
(D) Tests to distinguish between the three classes of alcohols
Lucas test
 1. 2ml of the following alcohols in a separate dry tubes were placed:
1-butanol,2-butanol, cyclohexanol, n-amyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol and t-butyl alcohol.
2. 2 ml of Lucas reagent in each of four tubes was added and the observation result are
recorded.
3. The test tube was shake and the length of time for the mixture to become cloudy or
separate into two layers was noted.

Chromic acid oxidation

1. 1ml of acetone in each of separate test tubes was placed.

2. To each test tube, one drop of the following alcohol or a few crystals (10 mg) of a
solid alcohol was added to be tested and shake until the solution is clear. Then,
while shaking, one drop of the reagent was added.
3. The following alcohol was tested:
1-butanol, 2-butanol, t-butyl alcohol, n-amyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol and cholesterol.
4. Any changes was observed and recorded.

(E) Reaction of phenol

With bromine water
1. Bromine water was added while shaking after dissolving around 0.1 g of phenol in 3
ml of water, and shake until the yellow color persists.
2. The result was recorded.

With ferric chloride

1. Dissolved one or two crystals or one or two drops of the substances to tested
(phenol, resorcinol and 2-propanol) in 5mk of water in each of three test tubes.
2. One or two drops of low-oxygen ferric chloride solution to each tube was added,
then shake the tube slowly.
 3. The result was recorded.

DATASHEET EXPERIMENT 1
REACTION OF ALCOHOLS AND PHENOLS

NAME : NUR ALEEYA MAISARAH BINTI YAZID (2022678752) ATHIRAH BINTI RAZALI
(2022613768) SAFWANNAH ATHYRAH BINTI MOHD NIZAM (2022454876) AFIQAH AMALIA
BINTI JASME (2022837094)

GROUP : DATE OF EXPERIMENT:

Test Compounds Observation Equation

Solubility Ethanol Soluble
n-butyl alcohol Insoluble
t-butyl alcohol soluble
Cyclohexanol Insoluble

Iso- amyl alcohol insoluble

phenol soluble
Reaction with n-butyl alcohol Thin layer
alkali formed
 Cyclohexanol Thin layer
formed
phenol Thin layer
formed
1-naphtol Thin layer
formed
Reaction with Ethanol Sodium metal
metallic sodium dissolved and
Universal
indicator turn
the colourless
solution into
purple

1-propanol Sodium metal

dissolved and
two layer
formed and
universal
indicator turn
the colourless
solution into
purple
2-propanol The solution
turns cloudy.
Sodium metal
dissolved.
Orcinol No reaction
Lucas test 1-butanol No reaction
 2-butanol Solution turns
cloudy

Cyclohexanol Solution turns

cloudy

n-amyl alcohol Solution turns

cloudy

Benzyl alcohol Solution turns

cloudy

t-butyl alcohol Solution turns

cloudy

Oxidation 1-butanol The solution

turns cloudy

2-butanol Precipitate was

formed

t-butyl alcohol No reaction

n-amyl alcohol No reaction
Benzyl alcohol Precipitate was
formed

Cholesterol Precipitate was

formed
Bromine water phenol Yellow colour of
bromine water
decolourised
Ferric chloride Phenol Colourless
solution turns
into dark purple
Resorcinol Colourless
solution turns
into dark purple
2-propanol Colourless
solution remains
unchanged