Iron (III) Chloride Test for Water-Soluble Phenols

Standard
Phenol

Procedure (for water-soluble phenols)
The iron (III) chloride test for phenols is not completely reliable for acidic phenols, but can be administered by dissolving 15 mg of the unknown compound in 0.5 mL of water or water-alcohol mixture and add 1 to 2 drops of 1% aqueous iron (III) chloride solution.

Positive Test
A red, blue, green, or purple color is a positive test.

Cleaning up
Since the quantity of material is extremely small, the test solution can be diluted with water and flushed down the drain.