An organic compound on treatment with a few drops of neutral ferric chloride solution produces a characteristic violet coloration. The functional group present in the compound is :

Step-by-step solution

The neutral ferric chloride ( FeCl₃ ) test is a characteristic qualitative test used for the identification of the phenolic functional group. When a phenol is treated with a few drops of neutral FeCl₃ solution, it forms a colored iron-phenol coordination complex, which imparts a characteristic violet, blue, or green coloration to the solution. Aliphatic alcohols do not react with neutral FeCl₃ . Carboxylic acids typically give a buff or reddish-brown precipitate, while aldehydes do not respond to this test. Answer: