Preliminary Test: Dissolve a drop or a few crystals of the compound to be tested in 1 mL of 95% ethanol and add 1 mL of 1 M hydrochloric acid. Note the color produced when 1 drop of 5% ferric chloride solution is added to the solution. If a definite orange, red, blue, or violet color is produced, the following test for the acyl group is not applicable and should be omitted. Too much hydrochloric acid prevents the development of colored complexes of many phenols and all enols.

Acid Anhydride<\/h3>

Acyl Halide<\/h3>

Ester<\/h3>

Ferric Hydroxamate Complex Formation<\/h3>

Procedure<\/h4>

Heat to boiling a mixture of 1 drop or about 40 mg of the compound, 1 mL of 0.5 M hydroxylamine hydrochloride in 95% ethanol, and 0.2 mL of 6 M sodium hydroxide. After the solution has cooled slightly, cautiously add 2 mL of 1 M hydrochloric acid. Anhydrides, acyl halides, and esters would have undergone the reaction with the hydroxylamine to form the hydroxamic acid, as indicated in the above equations. If the solution is cloudy, add 2 mL of 95% ethanol. Observe the color produced when one drop of 5% ferric chloride solution is added. If the color caused by the drop of ferric chloride solution does not persist, continue to add the ferric chloride solution dropwise until the observed color permeates the entire test solution. Compare the color with that produced in the preliminary test.

Positive Test<\/h4>

A distinct burgundy or magenta color of the ferric hydroxamate complex is a positive test. Compare the color of this solution with the yellow observed when the original compound is tested with ferric chloride in the presence of acid to assure the color is due to the formation of ferric hydroxamate complex.

Complications<\/h4>

Some acids will give a positive test.

Primary and secondary nitro compounds, imides, some amides, most nitriles, and aldehydes (with no a-hydrogens give a positive test.