Verification of alcohols with Cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate

Chemicals needed

Distilled water

Ethanol  F    R 11    S (2)-7-16

denatured alcohol

ceric ammonium nitrate nitric acid solution  C    R 34     S (1/2)-23-26-27

Preparation (German)

Other primary or secondary alcohols can also be tested. In the case of water-insoluble alcohols one can use as a solvent, 1,4-Dioxan, for example.

Equipment needed

test tube

Test procedure

• safety goggles!
• In a test tube with about 1 ml water one adds 3 drops of ethanol.
• Now one adds about 0.25 ml ceric ammonium nitrate nitric acid solution. Quickly a reddish color develops.

Disposal

• One can dispose the diluted residues into the drainage.

Elucidation

With Cer(IV) primary and secondary alcohols are oxidated into aldehydes or ketones, Cer(IV) is thereby reduced to red Cer(III).

Photos

Coloration due to the detection reaction

Literature

derived from [5], p. 709, "Cerium(IV) Nitrate Test"