Experiment 2: Preparation and Analysis of a

Copper Cationic Complex

Date: 31st January 2023

Lab Partner: Sarah Harasemiuc

Experimental:
Copper sulphate hydrate (5.000g) in 20 cm3 of water was added to a 250 cm3 beaker
and stirred until dissolved. Beaker was placed in an ice bath and was left to cool until
it reached 3°C. 10 cm3 concentrated ammonia (0.88M) was added and stirred. This
was allowed to cool and 20 cm3 ethanol was added (deep blue solution). The
solution in the beaker was poured into a Büchner funnel with suction to filter the
precipitated solid. The remains in the beaker were washed with ethanol and poured
into the Büchner funnel (violet powder). The violet product was washed 3 times with
20 cm3 acetone. When the product dried it was transferred to a pre-weighed
porcelain dish using a spatula and was then weighed. This violet powder is the
copper sulphate amine (CuSO4.aNH3.bH2O).
For the analysis for copper, approximately 0.500 g of the compound was placed in a
conical flask. 50 cm3 of acidified KI solution was added and swirled. The was titrated
with 0.1 M Na2S2O3 3 times. Colour changes from brown to yellow then 0.5 cm3 of
starch was added, turning the solution to a brown-black colour. The titrating
continued and the brown-black colour changes to a pale pink colour. This was
repeated 3 times.
For the analysis of ammonia using back titration, approximately 0.500 g of the
compound was placed in a conical flask. 50 cm3 of HCl was pipetted into the flask.
The indicator used is bromophenol. This was titrated against NaOH solution and the
colour change went from yellow to pure blue. This was repeated 3 times.
Conclusion:
The aim of this experiment was to prepare and analyse a copper cationic complex, to
analyse copper and to analyse ammonia by using a back titration. This experiment
was a success as the results obtained are accurate. Calculations are shown above.
The percentage of Cu in the violet compound was 82%. The percentage of CuSO4 in
the violet compound was 60.78%. the percentage of the ammonia in the complex is
3.9%. The value for ‘a’ in the formula CuSO4.aNH3.bH2O is 5 and the value for ‘b’ in
this formula is 1. If I were to carry this experiment out again I would not do anything
differently as the experiment was a success.