Physical properties of common organic compounds (In brief)

One of the easiest ways to get an idea about an unknown organic substance is to check for its physical properties first. Physical properties are appearance, state, odour, colour, solubility in water etc. Below are some general physical properties of common organic substances.

Odour

Fruity odour: Esters, ethers.

Odour of almonds: Benzaldehyde, Nitrobenzene, Benzonitrile,

Pungent odour: Pyridine, Formic acid, Acetic acid, Benzoyl chloride, Benzyl chloride, Acetyl chloride.

Many phenols give a unique Phenolic odour. Also some derivatives of salicylic acid such as Salicylaldehyde.

Colour

Orange: Ortho-Nitro-aniline, Alizarin.

Yellow:  Quinones, m-nitroaniline, o-nitrophenol, and many other nitro-compounds. Also Iodoform.

Red: i,2-Naphthoquinone.

Blue: Commonly Copper salts.

Solubility in water

Soluble in cold water: Lower aliphatic alcohols, lower aliphatic aldehydes & ketones, lower aliphatic nitriles, lower aliphatic acid chlorides, aliphatic amines, pyridine, salts of amines, glycine, some phenols, aliphatic acids, sulphonic acids, ammonium salts and alkali salts of all acids, methyl esters of certain acids such as  formic, oxalic, succinic and tartaric. Also some aliphatic amides and imides, such as succinimide.

Almost insoluble in cold water: Higher ketones, most esters, ethers, higher alcohols, higher phenols, Benzyl alcohol, metaformaldehyde, Aromatic aldehydes, aromatic acids, aromatic amides, aromatic imides, aromatic amines, aromatic nitriles, aromatic acid anhydrides, aromatic acid chlorides, sulphonamides, sulphonyl chlorides, starch, anilides, uric acid, hydrocarbons.

Hydrolysed with water: Acids, esters can hydrolyse easily. Acid anhydrides, acid chlorides, salts of amines and nitrophenols.

Using  litmus-paper on a solution

Weakly acidic: Phenols. Except for nitrated phenols, phenols do not liberate CO₂ from Na₂CO₃ solution.

Weakly alkaline: Alkali salts of some weak acids and pyridine.