How can the identity of an organic compound be confirmed using chemical tests?

The identity of an organic compound can be confirmed through specific reactions that produce recognizable changes, such as color changes, gas evolution, or precipitate formation. These chemical tests are designed to target functional groups or structural features of the compound, allowing chemists to observe clear and definitive outcomes that indicate the presence of certain groups. For example, the reaction of an alcohol with potassium dichromate may yield a color change from orange to green, indicating the presence of a primary or secondary alcohol.

In contrast, measuring the boiling point provides valuable physical information about a compound, but may not be definitive for identification, especially if multiple compounds share similar boiling points. Analyzing the compound’s mass spectrum can also provide insights into its molecular weight and possible structural fragments, yet it often requires additional interpretive steps to confirm identity rather than directly demonstrating recognizable changes. Observing the crystallization pattern, while informative about purity or potentially the structure, does not provide the same level of definitive identification as targeted chemical tests do. Thus, performing specific reactions is the most reliable method for confirming the identity of an organic compound.