An organic compound is heated with sodium peroxide and subsequently boiled with nitric acid. The add — Practical Organic Chemistry and Purification Chemistry Question
Question
An organic compound is heated with sodium peroxide and subsequently boiled with nitric acid. The addition of ammonium molybdate yields a canary yellow precipitate. This indicates the presence of phosphorus. What is the chemical formula of the yellow precipitate?
Answer: B
💡 Solution & Explanation
Phosphorus is oxidized to phosphoric acid ($H_3PO_4$). Upon reaction with ammonium molybdate in the presence of nitric acid, a canary yellow precipitate of ammonium phosphomolybdate, $(NH_4)_3PO_4 \cdot 12MoO_3$, is formed.
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