Results and Discussion

Table I. Observations

SOLUBILITY
HCs BROMINE TEST BAEYER’S TEST
TEST
Heptane (C) Immiscible No Change Layered (-; saturated)
Blue litmus paper Layered (+;
Pentene (A) Immiscible
changed into Red unsaturated)
Opaque (-; aromatic
Toluene (B) Immiscible No Change hydrocarbon;
unsaturated)
Blue litmus paper Layered (+;
Unknown (D) Immiscible
changed into Red unsaturated)

Based on the acquired data observations, all of the given hydrocarbon are immiscible with
water. According to Science (n.d.), solubility is the property of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas)
to dissolve in any solvent so as to create a standardized answer of the substance within the solvent.
Generally, we have a tendency to use the solubility take a look at so as to see the characteristic of
the unknown substance. In this experiment the proponents found out that hydrocarbons are
immiscible to water. This is due to the fact that when two compounds are mutually insoluble they're
immiscible with each other: water is not miscible with diethyl ether. So when you mix
hydrocarbons with water, they tend to form layers. Water has a higher density than hydrocarbons,
so it usually settles at the bottom. On the other hand, the organic (hydrocarbon) layer is usually on
top.

For the next test, the heptane and toluene remain litmus paper into its original color (no
reaction occurred). It is because alkane do not react on bromine and toluene do not react with
bromine in the absence of a catalyst. On the other hand, the pentene and unknown substance
changed the blue litmus paper into red (reaction occurred). This indicates that it is an alkene. In
chemical science, the Bromine test may be a qualitative test for the presence of unsaturation,
phenols and anilines. An unknown sample is treated with a little quantity of elemental element in
an organic solvent, being as chloride or perchloromethane (Bromine test., 2019). The more
unsaturated an unknown is, the more bromine it reacts with, and the less coloured the solution will
appear. The bromine water is added to an alkane solution and shaken, it will still be brown, and no
reaction happens. But when bromine water is added to an alkene and shaken, the resulting solution
turns colourless. That is one test to distinguish between alkanes and alkenes. This proves that
alkenes changes blue litmus paper into color red and they are acidic.

The third test that was made was the Baeyer’s test. It determines unsaturation and it
identifies the presence of carbon-carbon double secure compounds, known as alkenes or carbon-
carbon triple secure compounds oxidize the carbon-carbon double or triple bond. The results in the
table showed that heptane does not change the purple color (-) indicating that it is an alkane
(saturated hydrocarbon). On the other hand, the pentene and the unknown substance changed
purple to brown color (+) which indicates unsaturated hydrocarbon was given (alkene). Moreover,
take note that toluene is an aromatic hydrocarbon which does not change the color purple into
brown but, it is still unsaturated (alkene) hydrocarbon. This test depend on the ability of potassium
permanganate to oxidize the carbon‑carbon double bond to give alkanediols or the carbon-carbon
triple bond to give carboxylic acids. The permanganate is destroyed in the reaction, and a brown
precipitate of MnO2 is produced. The disappearance of the characteristic color of the
permanganate ion is a positive test for unsaturation. However, care must be taken, since
compounds containing certain other types of functional groups (for example, aldehydes, containing
the --CH=O group) also decolorize permanganate ion.

The Baeyer reagent is a cold dilute aqueous solution of potassium permanganate which is a
deep purple color. Potassium permanganate does not react with alkanes because they are saturated
(single bonds which are all taken). When it is added to alkanes the purple color does not change.
When it is added to an alkene, the purple color slowly disappears and a brown MnO2 precipitate
forms. The appearance of the brown precipitate indicates a positive test for unsaturation.

II. Questions:

1. Which hydrocarbons are soluble in water?

Based on our experiment none of them are soluble in water.
Hydrocarbons are non-polar simple covalent molecule with a simple
molecular structure. One property of being a non-polar molecule is that it is
immiscible with water since it is hydrophobic, but it is miscible in non-polar
organic solvent. Moreover, hydrocarbons can only form London forces, a
very weak type of intermolecular force (A.L, 2018).

2. Describe what happened when KMnO4 was added to Pentene?

The solution formed clots at the bottom of the test tube and it
changed its original color to red/ brownish. The Baeyer’s test result proves
this circumstance in a way that alkenes are proven to react with KMnO4.
The purple color slowly disappears and a brown MnO2 precipitate forms.
The appearance of the brown precipitate indicates a positive test for
unsaturation.

3. What happened when AIC13 was added to Heptane?

The Heptane turned to a cloudy opaque/ yellowish solution as it
was added with AlCl3.

4. What type of hydrocarbon in the unknown?

The unknown hydrocarbon is an alkene. This is due to the fact that
alkanes are far less reactive than alkenes and will only react with bromine
water in the presence of UV light. Under these conditions, alkanes undergo
 substitution reactions with halogens, and will slowly de-colourise bromine
water (Stubbings, n.d.). In addition, based on the experiment that was
conducted, the unknown substance reacted with bromine water which
indicates that it is an alkene.

References:

1. Science. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-theory-

behind-solubility-test-identify-442613#targetText=Solubility is defined as
the,characteristic of the unknown substance.
2. Bromine test. (2019, July 22). Retrieved from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromine_test.
3. https://www.quora.com/What-is-Bayers-test-What-is-its-
mechanism#targetText=The%20Baeyer%20test%20for%20unsaturation,carbon%20doub
le%20or%20triple%20bond.
4. A., L. (2018, October 7). Why are hydrocarbons insoluble in water? Retrieved from
https://www.wyzant.com/resources/answers/527981/why_are_hydrocarbons_insoluble_in
_water.
5. Stubbings, J. (n.d.). Halogenation of Hydrocarbons Chemistry Tutorial. Retrieved from
https://www.ausetute.com.au/halogalk.html.