Bromination of Saturated and Unsaturated Hydrocarbons
Dehydration of Sugar by Sulfuric Acid
Organic Synthesis With Familiar Materials
Oxidation of Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Alcohols
Underwater Fireworks: Chlorination of Acetylene
Differences in Miscibility of Organic Alcohols With Increasing Chain Length
Combustion of Cellulose Nitrate (Guncotton)
Different Smells of Carvone Isomers
Distinguishing between HD and LD Polyethylene
Enviro-bond: Cleaning Oil Spills
Esterification Using a Dean-Stark Trap
IR Demonstration – Atomic Coupling
IR Demonstration II – Molecular Vibrations
IR Demonstration III – Molecular Vibrations
Making a Rubber Ball from Latex
Reaction Intermediates in Organic Chemistry
Reducing Sugars and Fehling’s Solution
Rod Climbing by a Polymer Solution
Superabsorbent Polyacrylate Gel
Aniline Hydrochloride-Formaldehyde Polymer
Relative Reactivity of Reducing Agents
Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution Reaction/EAS Reaction
Reactivity of Alkanes vs Aromatic Compounds
Optical Activity of Racemic Mixtures With Limonene
Relationship of Absorbed Light to Observed Color
Density and Miscibility of Liquids
Extraction of Copper Ions from Solution with Orform®
Gel Formation with Sodium Alginate and Calcium Chloride
Hydrolysis of T-Butyl Chloride: A Lecture and Lab Experiment
Dehydration of Sugar by Sulfuric Acid
Description: Concentrated sulfuric acid is added to sugar in a beaker and stirred. The mixture changes color from white crystalline solid to a black amorphous solid. The solid expands out of the beaker, accompanied by the evolution of heat, sulfur oxides, and the smell of burned sugar and sulfur dioxide.
Source: Shakhashiri, B.Z. Chemical Demonstrations: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry
Year: 1983 Vol: 1 Page: 77
Keywords: Sulfuric Acid, Exothermic, Sugar, Dehydration
Rating: 
Hazard: High
- Acute toxicity hazard
- Chemical burn hazard
- Skin corrosion hazard
- Inhalation hazard
- Thermal burn hazard
- Serious eye damage hazard
Effectiveness: Excellent
- Results are deeply engaging to audience
- Spectacular effects are seen by audience
- Superior reliability
- Clear contrast between behavior of systems
- Time to results is low
- Good connection from demo to course material
Difficulty: Medium
- Some intermediate steps to results
- Some timed manipulations
- Reactions in which toxic substances are produced
- Simple procedures
Safety Precautions:
- Eye protection required
- Chemical and thermal gloves required
- Downdraft hood or fume hood required
- Chemically resistant surface required
- Acid neutralization spill kit required
- Avoid exposure to evolved gases
Class: Organic Chemistry, Dehydration Reaction, Groups VIB and VIIB (16 and 17), Main Group Elements
Division: General, Organic Chemistry
The demonstration Dehydration of Sugar by Sulfuric Acid may be found under the demonstration Main Group Elements- Dehydration of Sugar by Sulfuric Acid.
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