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Reference.org
Mayer's reagent
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<p>Mayer's reagent is an alkaloidal precipitating <a href="/facts/Reagent/c3GLInCu">reagent</a> used for the detection of <a href="/facts/Alkaloids/m6hUXohz">alkaloids</a> in natural products. Mayer's reagent is freshly prepared by dissolving a mixture of <a href="/facts/Mercuric_chloride/aUAKsq6a">mercuric chloride</a> (1.36 g) and of <a href="/facts/Potassium_iodide/6023uFnx">potassium iodide</a> (5.00 g) in water (100.0 ml). Most alkaloids are precipitated from neutral or slightly acidic solution by Mayer's reagent (<a href="/facts/Potassium_tetraiodomercurate(II)/YkB2d5FU">potassiomercuric iodide</a> solution) to give a cream coloured precipitate. This test was invented by and named after the German chemist <a href="/facts/Julius_von_Mayer/jt3kXTpy">Julius Robert Von Mayer</a> (1814–1878). </p>