1

CATIONS
CT = CONFIRMATORY TEST(S)
TESTS DONE ARE BASED ON THE QUALITATIVE PORTION OF PHAR. CHEM. 1/ CHEM 300 LAB
ALL PRODUCTS IN LARGE FONT ARE CONSIDERED PRECIPITATES UNLESS OTHERWISE DESCRIBED

I. CATIONS
GROUP I CATIONS SILVER GROUP
Ag+, Pb2+, Hg22+

HCl

KI

H2SO4

K2CrO4

Boiling
water
NH4OH

SILVER

LEAD

MERCUROUS

AgCl

PbCl2

Hg2Cl2

gray on light
sol. NH4OH
insol. mineral acids

sol. hot water, NaOH/

ammonium. acetate
insol. NH4OH

black with NH4OH

AgI (canary yellow)

PbI2

Hg2I2 (green/greenish yellow)

insol. in NH4OH/KI

sol. KI/NaOH

black with KI

Ag2SO4

PbSO4

Hg2SO4

sol. amm. ac.

/NaOH/Na2S2O3

sol. in HNO3

Ag2CrO4 (brownish red)

PbCrO4

Hg2CrO4 (orange red)

sol. NH4OH/HNO3

sol. NaOH/HNO3
insol. in acetate

brownish on boiling
insol HNO3

Soluble

CT
Insoluble

Soluble

AgOH -> Ag2O

Pb(OH)2

insol. in xss
sol. xss/HNO3/AgCl
dissolving subs.

insol. xss
sol. acid/NaOH/ac.

H2 S

insol. xss
slightly sol. acids

CT

CT
NaOH

HgNH2OH
Turns into black

AgOH -> Ag2O

Pb(OH)2

insol. xss

sol. xss -> colorless

Ag2S

PbS

sol. hot KNO3

insol. NH4OH

sol. HCl/KNO3
insol NaOH/ac.

Hg2O -> Hg + HgO

Hg2S -> Hg + HgS

SLRM2014 (no affiliation with the STC)

GROUP II CATIONS HYDROGEN SULFIDE GROUP

Pb , Bi3+, Cu2+, Cd2+= COPPER GROUP (sulfides insoluble in Na2S)
Hg2+, Sb3+, Sb5+, As3+, As5+, Sn2+, Sn4+ = TIN SUBGROUP (sulfides soluble in Na2S)
2+

PLUMBOUS

BISMUTH

CADMIUM

CUPRIC

H2 S

PbS

Bi2S3

CdS

CuS

NH4OH

Pb(OH)2

Bi(OH)3

Cd(OH)2

Cu(OH)NO3

insol xss
sol amm ac

Insol xss
Sol HNO3/HCl

Sol xss -> colorless

(bluish green)

Pb(OH)2

Bi(OH)3

Cd(OH)2

Cu(OH)2

sol xss

Insol xss
+ NaCl -> white
+ NaSnO2 =
black (CT)

Insol xss

Blue to CuO
(black)

PbCrO4

(BiO)2CrO4

CdCrO4

CuCrO4

Sol NH4OH/
KCN/dilute acids
Insol. NaOH

(brownish red)

NaOH

K2CrO4

K4Fe(CN)6

H2 S

NH4OH

NaOH

H2 O

Sol NaOH/HNO3;
insol HOAc

Sol HOAc/ HNO3

Insol NaOH

Pb2Fe(CN)6

Bi4[Fe(CN)6]3

Cd2Fe(CN)6

Cu2Fe(CN)6

(yellowish white)

(yellowish white)

Sol HNO3
Insol
HOAc/NH4OH

Sol HNO3/HCl

Sol HNO3/HCl/
Conc. NH4OH
Insol. HOAc

Sol NH4OH
Insol HOAc

Sol NH4OH/
dilute acids
Insol NaOH

CT

CT

MERCURIC

Sb3+

Sb5+

HgS

Sb2S3

Sb2S5

Insol NaOH, (NH4)2S,

HNO3

Sol HCl, HNO3, NaOH,

(NH4)2S

Same as Sb2S3

HgNH2NO3

Sb(OH)3

H3SbO4

Insol xss
Slightly sol in acids

Insol xss
Sol HCl, Na2CO3, NaOH

Same as Sb(OH)3

HgO

Hg3SbO3.Sb2O3

Hg3SbO4

Insol xss
Sol hot dilute acids

Sol xss, HCl, Na2CO3

Same as Sb3

Hg(OH)NO3

SbOCl

SbO2Cl

Sol xss acid

Sol xss HCl, tartaric acid

Insoluble in NaOBr(CT)
No ppt

Same as SbOCl

Hg2Cl2 -> HgO

SnCl2

Sol xss (deep

blue)

(white to black = gray)

No ppt

CT1
SLRM2014 (no affiliation with the STC)

KI

HgI2
CT2

Sb metal
Zn, Al, Fe
in acid

H2 S

Hg metal

Insoluble in HCl, NaOBr,

NaOCl

As3+

As5+

As2S3

As2S5

Insol HCl

Insol HCl

No ppt

No ppt

Sb metal

Sn2+
SnS

Sn4+

Insol in Na2S,
NH4OH, NaOH

Sn(OH)2
NH4OH

NaOH

No ppt
+ H2S, Al = AsH3
+ AgNO3 = black
As2S3

No ppt

Insol xss
Sol acid/NaOH

SnS2
Sol Na2S

Sn(OH)4
Same as left

Sn(OH)2

Sn(OH)4

Sol xss, acid

Same as left

SnOCl3

SnO(OH)2

CT1

CT2 for
As
H2 O
HgCl2

+ NH4OH, H2O2 in heat

+ (NH)2MoO4 = yellow
No ppt

Hg3(AsO3)3
Sol in acid

Ag3AsO3
AgNO3
Mg mix
(Mg(NO3)2
+ NH4NO3
+ NH4OH)

Sol HNO3/ NH4OH

Insol. in acetic acid

No ppt

Sol xss acid

Hg2Cl2 -> HgO

No ppt

(white to black)

No ppt.

CT
Ag3AsO4
Sol HNO3/ NH4OH
Insol. in acetic acid

AgCl

AgCl

No ppt.

No ppt.

MgNH4AsO4
No ppt

Crystalline
Sol in HOAc

SLRM2014 (no affiliation with the STC)

GROUP III CATIONS AMMONIUM SULFIDE GROUP

Al , Cr , Zn = ALUMINUM SUBGROUP (hydroxides soluble in excess NaOH and Na2O2)
2+
Fe , Fe3+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Co2+ = IRON SUBGROUP (hydroxides insoluble in excess NaOH and Na2O2)
3+

NaOH

2+

ALUMINUM

CHROMIUM

ZINC

MANGANESE

COBALT

NICKEL

FERROUS

FERRIC

Al(OH)3

Cr(OH)3

Zn(OH)2

Mn(OH)2

Co(OH)2

Ni(OH)2

Fe(OH)2

Fe(OH)3

Excess =
M(OH)4- or
NaMO2
Sol in acids
N/A

(grayish green slug)

Oxidizes to
MnO.H2O

On warming =
olive green ->
pink/rose red

(apple green)

white -> green ->

reddish brown

(reddish brown)

Oxidizes to

Co(OH)3

N/A

Fe(OH)3

N/A

MnO.H2O

(brown to
black)
Same as with
NaOH

Fe(OH)3

Sol.

Insol.

Oxidized to
Cr(OH)4 or NaCrO2
or Na2CrO4
(yellow)

N/A

Al(OH)3

Cr(OH)3

Zn(OH)2

Mn(OH)2

Co(OH)NO3 Ni(OH)NO3

Insol. xss

Insol. xss

Sol xss

+ Aluminon =
white gelatinous
ppt CT1
+ Co(NO3)2 +
heat = blue ash

+ Acetic acid/Lead
acetate = PbCrO4

CT1

+ Co(NO3)2 +
heat = green
ash

Insol. xss
Oxidized to
MnO.H2O

+ AgNO3 =
Ag2CrO4 CT2
+ BaCl = BaCrO4

(Rinmanns
green)

(blue basic salt)

Xss =
Co(NH3)42+
(yellow
solution, red
upon exposure
to air)

Na2O2/
H2O2

NH4OH

3+

CT2
(Thenards blue)

(light brown)

CT1

CT3
+ H2O2, H2SO4,
acetone =
vanishing blue

(green basic)
Ni(NH4)42+
(blue)
+ alcoholic
dimethylglyoxime
(C4H8N2O2)
= cherry
red/pink ppt

CT

CT4
Al(OH)3

Cr(OH)3

Sol.

Sol.

Sol.

Sol.

NH4OH +
NH4Cl

SLRM2014 (no affiliation with the STC)

Al(OH)3

Cr(OH)3

ZnS

MnS (flesh)

CoS

NiS

FeS

Fe2S3

Al2S3 does not

ppt.

Same as left

Does not ppt

in dilute acid
except with
Zincite
(ZnO22-)

Slowly turns
brown by
oxidation

Sol dilute acid

After pptn,
insol. in dilute
acid

Same as left

Sol in dilute
HCl/HNO3

Sol in HCl
(-> Fe2+ + H2S)

Zn2Fe(CN)6

Mn2Fe(CN)6

Co2Fe(CN)6

Ni2Fe(CN)6

Fe2Fe(CN)6

Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3

Insol. HCl and

NH4OH
Sol NaOH

(pinkish white)

Insol. in
HCl/NaOH

(greenish white)

(white -> blue)

(Prussian)

Same as left

Insol. HOAc

Insol. HCl
Sol oxalic acid

(NH4)2S

CT2
K4Fe(CN)6

Al4[Fe(CN)6]3

Cr4[Fe(CN)6]3

Formed slowly in
cold and rapidly
in hot

Sol. dilute acids

Insol. NH4OH

Slightly sol HCl

CT1

CT1

CT3
No ppt.
K3Fe(CN)6

No ppt.

Zn3[Fe(CN) Mn3[Fe(CN)6]2
(light brown)
6 ]2
(yellowish white)

Slightly sol HCl

Slightly sol
HCl

Co3Fe(CN)6

Ni3Fe(CN)6

(reddish
brown)
Insol. HCl

Insol. HCl

Co(SCN)42or Co(SCN)4
deep/beautiful
blue

NH4SCN

Fe3[Fe(CN)6]2
(Turnbulls)

Insol. HOAc

CT2
CT3

FeFe(CN)6/
Fe(CN)3
Solution only

CT2
Fe(SCN)3
Blood red solution

CT3

CT1
(Vogels rxn)
Solvent: acetone
or amyl alcohol

K3Co(NO2)6
Acetate +
KNO2
HNO3/
Sodium
bismuthate

CT2
Violet color

CT

SLRM2014 (no affiliation with the STC)

GROUP IV CATIONS ALKALINE EARTH GROUP

Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+, Mg2+
BARIUM
BaCO3

STRONTIUM
SrCO3

CALCIUM
CaCO3

No ppt, turbidity
by CO2
Ba(OH)2

Same as left

No ppt

Sr(OH)2

Ca(OH)2

Na2HPO4
Na2HPO4 +
NH4OH
K2C2O4

BaHPO4
Ba3PO4

SrHPO4
Sr3(PO4)2

CaHPO4
Ca3(PO4)2

BaC2O4

SrC2O4

K2CrO4

H2SO4

BaCrO4
Insol. NH4Ac,
HOAc, NaOH
CT
BaSO4

Flame test

Green-yellow

SrCrO4
(pale yellow)
If with EtOH
CT1
SrSO4
Less sol than
BaSO4
Crimson -red CT2

CaC2O4
Insol. HOAc
Sol HNO3/HCl
CT
CaCrO4
If with EtOH

(NH4)2CO3 + 95%
Ethanol

NH4OH
NaOH

MAGNESIUM
MgCO3.4H2O (with
EtOH)
MgCO3.Mg(OH)2
(without EtOH)
Mg(OH)2 if no NH4+
ion
Mg(OH)2 if no
NH4+ ion
No ppt
MgNH4PO4.6H2O
CT
Sol

Sol

CaSO4
If with EtOH

Sol

Orange/dull/
brick-red

No color

GROUP V CATIONS ALKALI GROUP

LITHUIM

Li+, Na+, K+, NH4+

SODIUM

H2PtCl6
Tartaric acid

No ppt.
No ppt.

No ppt.
No ppt.

Na3CO(NO2)6

No ppt.

No ppt.

POTASSIUM
K2PtCl6
KH tartrate

AMMONIUM
(NH)4PtCl6
NH4H tartrate

CT1
KH2SbO4
(K antimonite)
Zinc uranyl
acetate
KHgI4

K2NaCo(NO2)6

CT2

(NH4)2NaCo(NO2)6.NH3

No ppt.

No ppt.

No ppt.

HgO.Hg(NH3)2I2

NaH2SbO4

CT1
No ppt.

No ppt.

NaZn(UO2)3(C2H3O2)9
(pale yellow) CT2
No ppt.

(Nesslers reagent)

CT1

Base

B->B; R->B

CT2
Flame test

Carmine red

Yellow

Violet

No Color

CT
SLRM2014 (no affiliation with the STC)