KABUI DOUGLAS MURIUKI

U29/144075/2022
HPCH 3101: PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY (INORGANIC CHEMISTRY)
PRACTICAL 2: CHEMISTRY OF GROUP I AND THE THIRD SHORT PERIOD

a. OBJECTIVE
I. To investigate the trends and gradation in some properties of Chlorides
Group I and Period 3

b. INTRODUCTION
Physical properties of elements depend on their structure and bonding.
However, the structure and bonding of elements is in turn dependent on
atomic properties like electronic configuration, ionisation energies and atomic
radii. Reactivity of elements varies across the period and also with the
reagents used.

c. OBSERVATIONS
1. Solubility of Salts

Salt pH in Water Solubility in Toluene

NaCl 8.0 Insoluble

This salt does not undergo Hydrolysis Polar species are insoluble in non polar
solvents

MgCl2 8.0 Insoluble

This salt does not undergo Hydrolysis Polar species are insoluble in non polar
solvents

AlCl3 3.0 Insoluble

This salt undergoes hydrolysis to release Polar species are insoluble in non polar
H+ ions solvents

Al3+(aq) + 3H2o(l) + Al(OH)3(s) + 3H+(aq)

 2. Reaction of Salts With NH4OH and NH4F

Salt Addition of NH4OH Addition of NH4F

LiCl White ppt formed White ppt formed

Insoluble LiOH is formed Insoluble LiF is formed
LiCl(aq) + NH4OH(aq) = LiOH(s) + NH4Cl(aq) LiOH(aq) + NH4F(aq) = LiF(s) + NH4OH(aq)

NaCl Colourless soln formed Colourless soln formed

Soluble NaOH is formed Soluble NaF is formed
NaCl(aq) + NH4OH(aq) = NaOH(aq) + NH4Cl(aq) NaOH(aq) + NH4F(aq) = NaF(aq) + NH4OH(aq)

KCl Colourless soln formed Colourless soln formed

Soluble KOH is formed Soluble KF is formed
KCl(aq) + NH4OH(aq) = KOH(aq) + NH4Cl(aq) KOH(aq) + NH4F(aq) = KF(aq) + NH4OH(aq

3. Reaction of Salts with NH4OH and (NH4)2CO3

Salt Addition of NH4OH Addition of (NH4)2CO3

LiCl White ppt formed White ppt formed

Insoluble LiOH is formed Insoluble Li2CO3 is formed
LiCl(aq) + NH4OH(aq) = LiOH(s) + NH4Cl(aq) LiOH(aq) + (NH4)2CO3(aq) = Li2CO3(s) + NH4OH(aq)

NaCl Colourless soln formed Colourless soln formed

Soluble NaOH is formed Soluble Na2CO3 is formed
NaCl(aq) + NH4OH(aq) = NaOH(aq) + NH4Cl(aq) NaOH(aq) +(NH4)2CO3(aq) = Na2CO3(aq) + NH4OH(aq)

KCl Colourless soln formed Colourless soln formed

Soluble KOH is formed Soluble K2CO3 is formed
KCl(aq) + NH4OH(aq) = KOH(aq) + NH4Cl(aq) KOH(aq) + (NH4)2CO3(aq) = K2CO3(aq) + NH4OH(aq
 4. Reaction of salts with NH4OH and Na2HPO4

Salt Addition of NH4OH Addition of Na2HPO4

LiCl White ppt formed White ppt formed

Insoluble LiOH is formed Insoluble LiPO4 is formed
LiCl(aq) + NH4OH(aq) = LiOH(s) + NH4Cl(aq) 3LiOH(s) +Na2HPO4(aq) = Li3PO4(aq) + H2O(l) + 2NaOH(aq)

NaCl Colourless soln formed Colourless soln formed

Soluble NaOH is formed Soluble Na3PO4 is formed
NaCl(aq) + NH4OH(aq) = NaOH(aq) + NH4Cl(aq) NaOH(aq) +Na2HPO4(aq) = Na3PO4(aq) + H2O(l)

KCl Colourless soln formed Colourless soln formed

Soluble KOH is formed Soluble K2HPO4 is formed
KCl(aq) + NH4OH(aq) = KOH(aq) + NH4Cl(aq) KOH(aq) +Na2HPO4(aq) = K3PO4(aq) + H2O(l) + 2NaOH(aq)

5. Solubility of NaCl in different solvents

Solvent Solubility Explanation

Water Soluble Water is a polar protic solvent in which NaCl can dissolve as it
is also polar

Ethanol Slightly soluble Ethanol is bulky polar protic solvent in which NaCl has a slight
solubility as it is also polar

Acetone Insoluble Acetone is a non- polar solvent thus NaCl is unable to dissolve
 6. Separation of a mixture of salts

0.1g of a mixture of salts was put into a boiling tube and dissolved
on absolute alcohol
I. A white precipitate was formed
The polar protic solvent ethanol was able to solvate the
smaller Lithium ion and unable to solvate the larger
potassium ion. Hence the formation of a precipitate which is
likely KCl (confirmed later in the experiment)

II. The solution was filtered and the following qualitative tests
were carried out each to the residue and the filtrate (after
evaporating the absolute alcohol)

Test Flame Test CobaltNitrile test

Residue Lilac Flame - Consistent with Yellow Precipitate formed - Potassium ions
Potassium Ions confirmed
Na₃[Co(NO₂)₆](aq) + KCl(aq) = K₃[Co(NO₂)₆](s) +NaCl(aq)

Filtrate Red Flame - Consistent with Orange Colour of Solution Retained - Potassium Ions
Lithium Ions Absent

d. CONCLUSION
Lithium compounds indeed have different properties from other group I
Properties of Chlorides of Period 3 vary across the period due to change in
structure from giant ionic to simple molecular structure.

e. DATA SHEET
Please find the data sheet attached to this report