Photo: Ccroberts via Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons 2.5 license
Even if you know which series an organic liquid belongs to, it can still be difficult to precisely identify the liquid from its boiling point.
To overcome this problem the liquid can be convened into a solid derivative. By comparing the melting point of the derivative with those of known derivatives, it is then possible to identify the organic liquid.
In this experiment, an unknown ketone is converted into a derivative by condensing it with Brady’s reagent (a solutioon of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine) and the melting point of the derivative determined.
Derivative Formation – pupil guide
