Organic Chemistry Demonstrations

See also: Compounds, Polymers

Organic chemistry focuses on carbon-containing compounds and how structure relates to properties and reactivity. This category introduces common ways of representing molecules, the idea of functional groups, and the importance of isomerism. It connects molecular structure to observable behaviour, showing how small changes in bonding and shape can lead to different physical and chemical outcomes. Understanding organic chemistry provides a foundation for explaining materials found in living systems and in everyday products.

Demonstration	Materials	Difficulty	Safety	Summary
Cracking Hydrocarbons	★★★	★★★	★★★	Large alkane molecules such as those in liquid paraffin can be broken into smaller, more useful alkanes and alkenes by heating their vapors over a hot catalyst. The products can be collected and tested to show the formation of alkenes, which are more chemically reactive and important for making fuels and other useful chemicals.
Nylon Rope Trick	★★★	★★☆	★★★	The Nylon Rope Trick demonstrates interfacial polymerization, where nylon is formed at the boundary between two immiscible solutions: aqueous 1,6-diaminohexane and adipoyl chloride dissolved in cyclohexane. A continuous strand of nylon can be pulled from the liquid interface, creating a dramatic visual display of polymer formation.
Dichromate Breathalyzer	★★☆	★★☆	★★☆	An orange chromic acid (or Acidified Dichromate) reagent is added to two cylinders, one with water and one with ethanol. The water sample stays orange, while ethanol is oxidized to acetic acid and the chromium(VI) reagent is reduced to green chromium(III).
‘Dissolving’ Styrofoam in Acetone	★★☆	★★☆	★★☆	When expanded polystyrene foam is placed in acetone (propanone), it appears to dissolve, dramatically shrinking in volume. This striking demonstration shows how acetone breaks down the foam structure by dissolving the polystyrene polymer, leaving only a small residue of solid polymer behind.
Electrostatic Deflection of Polar vs Nonpolar Liquids	★★☆	★★☆	★★☆	Charged rods can bend a falling stream of polar liquid, such as water, but have no effect on a stream of nonpolar liquid, such as cyclohexane. This demonstrates molecular polarity and explains why polar solvents dissolve ionic compounds.
Ester Synthesis, Isolation and Purification	★★☆	★★☆	★★☆	An alcohol reacts with a carboxylic acid under an acid catalyst to form an ester and water (Fischer esterification). An ester is synthesized under reflux, the organic layer isolated with a separatory funnel, dried, and purified by simple distillation.
Ethanol Purification by Distillation	★★☆	★★☆	★★☆	After fermenting a sugar solution with yeast, ethanol can be separated from the mixture using simple distillation. The distillate fractions collected can then be tested for ethanol content by carefully checking whether they ignite.
Making Esters in Test Tubes	★★☆	★★☆	★★☆	Alcohols and carboxylic acids react in the presence of sulfuric acid to form esters and water. Many esters have strong, pleasant odors and are commonly used in perfumes and artificial flavorings.
Making Soap	★★☆	★★☆	★★☆	Coconut oil is combined with sodium hydroxide to undergo saponification and produce soap. The crude soap is then purified through salt precipitation to lower its pH and remove impurities, resulting in a safe and usable bar of soap.
Production of Ethylene	★★☆	★★★	★★★	Ethylene/Ethene gas (C2H4) is prepared by catalytic dehydration of ethanol using aluminum oxide. The gas can then be tested for unsaturation by its reaction with iodine water, showing the reactivity of alkenes.
Tollen's Test Silver Mirror	★★☆	★★☆	★★☆	Aldehydes reduce silver ions in Tollen’s reagent to metallic silver, forming a reflective silver mirror on the inside of a glass container. This classic test is used to identify aldehydes and reducing sugars.
Oil Spill Cleanup	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	This demonstration models an oil spill in water using vegetable oil. Students explore how oil floats on water, test different cleanup methods, and learn how dish soap helps break up oil.

Materials
★☆☆ Easy to get from supermarket or hardware store
★★☆ Available in most school laboratories or specialist stores
★★★ Requires materials not commonly found in school laboratories

Difficulty
★☆☆ Can be easily done by most teenagers
★★☆ Available in most school laboratories or specialist stores
★★★ Requires a more experienced teacher

Safety
★☆☆ Minimal safety procedures required
★★☆ Some safety precautions required to perform safely
★★★ Only to be attempted with adequate safety procedures and trained staff