This page contains machine-translated content. For safety-relevant sections, the German original text is also shown and remains authoritative.

Yellow-orange S (manufacture)

ID: 185544  |  No.: 639  |  Institut für Chemieinformation

School experiment from Year 5 onwards

Category: Flavourings and colourings

Note: Transferring to your DEGINTU account for risk assessment and its documentation is recommended!
Reaction equation

Reaction mechanism analogous to https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azokupplung; the phenolic O-H group acts as the directing electron donor.

Procedure

Solution 1

Suspend 1 g of sulphanilic acid in 50 ml of deionised water and add 10 ml of hydrochloric acid (w = 25 %).

The volume is then made up to approximately 200 ml with water.

Solution 2

0.1 g of sodium nitrite is dissolved in 20 ml of deionised water in the 50-ml flask.

Experimental procedure

0.5 mmol of Schäffer’s acid is weighed out and transferred to two labelled test tubes.

Add 2 ml of deionised water to each, so that suspensions are formed.

A fourth test tube, also filled with 2 ml of water, serves as a blank.

Now, 8 ml of solution 1 is mixed with 4 drops of solution 2 in a 25-ml Erlenmeyer flask, and the mixture is divided between the four test tubes.

Shake gently to ensure everything is well mixed.

After adding 2 ml of 10% ammonia solution to each, yellow, orange and orange-red colourations can be observed in the solutions.

Equipment & materials

2 x 250 mL & 1 x 25 mL Erlenmeyer flasks

2 dropper pipettes & 1 measuring pipette (5 mL)

50 mL bottle & 4 test tubes

Hazardous substances
Name Formula CAS no. H-statements P-statements Pictograms
Sulfanilsäure NH₂C₆H₄SO₃H 121-57-3 6101-32-2
H315 – Causes skin irritation.
German original: Verursacht Hautreizungen.
H317 – May cause allergic skin reactions.
German original: Kann allergische Hautreaktionen verursachen.
H319 – Causes serious eye irritation.
German original: Verursacht schwere Augenreizung.
P261 – Avoid inhaling dust, fumes, gas, mist, vapour or aerosols.
German original: Einatmen von Staub/Rauch/Gas/Nebel/Dampf/Aerosol vermeiden.
P264 – After use … wash thoroughly.
German original: Nach Gebrauch ... gründlich waschen.
P272 – Do not wear contaminated work clothes outside the workplace.
German original: Kontaminierte Arbeitskleidung nicht außerhalb des Arbeitsplatzes tragen.
P280 – Wear protective gloves / protective clothing / eye protection / face protection.
German original: Schutzhandschuhe / Schutzkleidung / Augenschutz / Gesichtsschutz tragen.
P302+P352 – IF IT COMES INTO CONTACT WITH THE SKIN: Wash with plenty of water / ...
German original: BEI BERÜHRUNG MIT DER HAUT: Mit viel Wasser / ... waschen.
P305+P351+P338 – IF IN EYES: Rinse gently with water for several minutes. Remove any contact lenses if possible. Continue rinsing.
German original: BEI KONTAKT MIT DEN AUGEN: Einige Minuten lang behutsam mit Wasser spülen. Vorhandene Kontaktlinsennach Möglichkeit entfernen. Weiter spülen.
GHS07
Ammoniak, wässrige Lösung 10% NH₃·aq
H314 – Causes severe skin burns and serious eye damage.
German original: Verursacht schwere Verätzungen der Haut und schwere Augenschäden.
H335 – May irritate the respiratory tract.
German original: Kann die Atemwege reizen.
H410 – Very toxic to aquatic organisms, with long-term effects.
German original: Sehr giftig für Wasserorganismen mit langfristiger Wirkung.
P261 – Avoid inhaling dust, fumes, gas, mist, vapour or aerosols.
German original: Einatmen von Staub/Rauch/Gas/Nebel/Dampf/Aerosol vermeiden.
P271 – Use only outdoors or in well-ventilated areas.
German original: Nur im Freien oder in gut belüfteten Räumen verwenden.
P280 – Wear protective gloves / protective clothing / eye protection / face protection.
German original: Schutzhandschuhe / Schutzkleidung / Augenschutz / Gesichtsschutz tragen.
P303+P361+P353 – IF IN CONTACT WITH THE SKIN (or hair): Remove all contaminated clothing immediately. Wash the skin with water or take a shower.
German original: BEI BERÜHRUNG MIT DER HAUT (oder dem Haar):Alle kontaminierten Kleidungsstücke sofort ausziehen. Haut mit Wasser abwaschen/duschen.
P305+P351+P338 – IF IN EYES: Rinse gently with water for several minutes. Remove any contact lenses if possible. Continue rinsing.
German original: BEI KONTAKT MIT DEN AUGEN: Einige Minuten lang behutsam mit Wasser spülen. Vorhandene Kontaktlinsennach Möglichkeit entfernen. Weiter spülen.
GHS05, GHS07, GHS09
Salzsäure 25% HCl·aq
H290 – May be corrosive to metals.
German original: Kann gegenüber Metallen korrosiv sein.
H314 – Causes severe skin burns and serious eye damage.
German original: Verursacht schwere Verätzungen der Haut und schwere Augenschäden.
H335 – May irritate the respiratory tract.
German original: Kann die Atemwege reizen.
P234 – Store only in the original container.
German original: Nur im Originalbehälter aufbewahren.
P261 – Avoid inhaling dust, fumes, gas, mist, vapour or aerosols.
German original: Einatmen von Staub/Rauch/Gas/Nebel/Dampf/Aerosol vermeiden.
P271 – Use only outdoors or in well-ventilated areas.
German original: Nur im Freien oder in gut belüfteten Räumen verwenden.
P280 – Wear protective gloves / protective clothing / eye protection / face protection.
German original: Schutzhandschuhe / Schutzkleidung / Augenschutz / Gesichtsschutz tragen.
P303+P361+P353 – IF IN CONTACT WITH THE SKIN (or hair): Remove all contaminated clothing immediately. Wash the skin with water or take a shower.
German original: BEI BERÜHRUNG MIT DER HAUT (oder dem Haar):Alle kontaminierten Kleidungsstücke sofort ausziehen. Haut mit Wasser abwaschen/duschen.
P305+P351+P338 – IF IN EYES: Rinse gently with water for several minutes. Remove any contact lenses if possible. Continue rinsing.
German original: BEI KONTAKT MIT DEN AUGEN: Einige Minuten lang behutsam mit Wasser spülen. Vorhandene Kontaktlinsennach Möglichkeit entfernen. Weiter spülen.
GHS05, GHS07
Natriumnitrit 0,5 %
Schäffersäure C₁₀H₈O₄S 93-01-6
Dinatrium-6-hydroxy-5-((4-sulfonatophenyl)azo)naphthalin-2-sulfonat C₁₆H₁₀N₂Na₂O₇S₂ 2783-94-0

H/P statements: machine translation, with the German original below (authoritative). Name, formula, CAS no. and pictograms are not translated.

Substitution

Yellow Orange S is considered a safe food colouring. Reductive cleavage produces harmless products

https://www.dguv.de/medien/ipa/publikationen/ipa-reporte/09-02-27_bgfa-report2_azofarbstoffe.pdf

Literature

Klemeyer, Horst (2026) Yellow-orange S, experimental procedure for synthesis. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.21889206

Tami, Kristi; Popova, Anastasia; Proni, Gloria (2017) Engaging Students in Real-World Chemistry through the Synthesis and Confirmation of Azo Dyes via Thin-Layer Chromatography to Determine the Dyes Present in Everyday Foods and Beverages. Journal of Chemical Education, 94(4), 471–475. doi:10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00334