what information cab be obtained by the neutral ferric chloride test?

Question

what information cab be obtained by the neutral ferric chloride test ? Does this agree wiht the information obtained from IR spectrum of paracetamol?

Answer 1

Paracetamol is 4-hydroxyacetanilide, HO-C6H4-NHCOCH3. Ferric chloride should give a purple color to a water solution, which is a positive test for phenols, of the type C6H5-OH.

Answer 2

After saponification of the ester you get salicylic acid as the residue and acetic acid as the filtrate. For the Basic Ferric Acetate Test, after you add enough base to the filtrate for it to be slightly basic you end up with sodium acetate and water. You add Ferric chloride to the sodium acetate and end up with the basic Ferric Acetate as one of the products (hence basic ferric acetate test). The principle used is double displacement. Good luck! :)