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Revision 2021
CHEMICAL TEST TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN PAIR OF ORGANIC COMPOUND
1. Lucas test
 To distinguish between Primary (10), Secondary (20), & Tertiary (30) Alcohols)
 Lucas reagent: ZnCl2/HCl
 Test & Reactions:
(i) Primary(10) + Lucas reagent(ZnCl2/HCl)  No Turbidity at room temperture
R – CH2 – OH + HCl ZnCl2 R – CH2 – Cl
1 Alcohol Lucas Reagent No Turbidity
(ii)Secondary (20) + Lucas reagent(ZnCl2/HCl)  Turbidity after some time (5-10 min)

(iii) Tertiary (30) + Lucas reagent(ZnCl2/HCl)  Turbidity at once(immediately)

2. Iodoform test (Alcohols)

 Alcohols containing linkage like Ethanol ,Propan-2-ol etc.)

 Reagent: I2 / NaOH
 Test: Alcohols containing CH3-CH(OH)-linkage on reaction I2 / NaOH gives Yellow Ppt of CHI3 .
 Reaction:

3. Neutral ferric chloride test

 Phenol give this test
 Test:Phenol reacts with Neutral FeCl3 to form a complex of Violet colour.
3 PhOH (Phenol) + FeCl3 (Neutral)  Violet colouration (PhO)3 Fe + 3 HCl
Ferric Phenate
4. Tollens test
 [Aliphatic Aldehydes(e.g.Ethanal,Propanal etc) & Aromatic Aldehydes (Benzaldehyde etc.)]
 Tollens reagent: Ammoniacal .AgNO3 or [Ag (NH)2]+OH –
 Test: On warming an aldehyde with freshly prepared ammoniacal silver nitrate solution (Tollens’ reagent), a
bright silver mirror[Ag] is produced due to the formation of silver metal.
 Reaction:
R CHO + 2 [Ag (NH)2]+ OH -  R COOH + 2 Ag + 4 NH3 +H2O
Aldehyde Tollen’s reagent Silver
mirror..
O
||
R – C – R + Tollen’s reagent  No. silver mirror.
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 Ketone
Important Note: Ketones do not give this test

5. Fehling’s test:
 [Only Aliphatic Aldehydes(e.g.Ethanal,Propanal etc)
 Fehling’s reagent: Fehling solution A is aqueous copper sulphate and Fehling solution B is alkaline
sodium potassium tartarate (Rochelle salt)
 Test: On heating an aldehyde with Fehling’s reagent,(equal amount of Fehling solution A & Fehling
solution B )a reddish brown precipitate of [Cu2O] is obtained.
 Reaction:R CHO + 2 Cu2+ + 5 OH¯  RCOO¯ + Cu2O + 3 H2O
Aldehyde Red ppt

O
||
R – C – R + Fehling solution  No red ppt.

Important Note: Ketones do not give this test & also Aromatic aldehyde do not reduce fehling solution

6. Iodoform Test (Aldehydes & Ketones)

 [Aldehydes & Ketones containing linkage.e.g.Ethanal(Acetaldehyde)

Propanone(Acetone) etc.]
 Reagent: I2 / NaOH
 Test: Aldehydes & Ketones containing –COCH3 linkage on reaction I2 / NaOH gives Yellow Ppt of CHI3
 Reaction
O
||
R – C – CH3 + I2 + NaOH  R COONa + CHI3 + NaI + H2O
Yellow Ppt
7. Sodium bicarbonate test
 Aliphatic & Aromatic Carboxylic acids give this test.
 Reagent: NaHCO3 Sodium Hydrogencarbonate
 Test: Carboxylic acids on reaction with NaHCO3 (Sodium Hydrogencarbonate ) gives effervescence
due to evolution of CO2 gas.
 Reaction: R COOH + NaH CO3  R COONa + H2O + CO2 (g) bubbled

8. Test for Methanoic acid (Formic acid)

 Methanoic acid (Formic acid) give Tollen’s test & Fehling test.
 Reaction:H COOH + Tollen’s reagent  2 Ag + CO2 + H2O
 ( Silver Mirror)
H COOH + Fehling sol  Cu2O + CO2 + H2O
(Red ppt)
9. Isocyanide test (Carbylamine reaction)
 Primary Aliphatic (e.g.Ethanamine) & Aromatic amines(e.g.Aniline) give this test.
 Reagent: Chloroform(CHCl3) + Alcoholic KOH
 Test: Aliphatic and aromatic primary amines on heating with chloroform and ethanolic potassium
hydroxide form isocyanides or carbylamines which are foul smelling substances. (Unpleasent odur)
 Reaction:
RNH2 + CHCl3 + 3 KOH(alc) Warm R NC + 3 KCl + 3H2O
Alkyl isocyanide)( (offensive smel
 Important note: Secondary and tertiary amines do not give this test.

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 10. Heinsberg test
 To distinguish between Primary (10), Secondary (20), & Tertiary (30) Amines.
 Reagent: Benzenesulphonyl chloride C6H5SO2Cl Heinsberg reagent
Test:(i) Primary amine reacts with benzenesulphonyl chloride (Heinsberg reagent) to give N-ulphonyl
amide which is soluble in alkali because the hydrogen attached to nitrogen in sulphonamide is strongly acidic

(ii) Secondary amine reacts with benzenesulphonyl chloride (Heinsberg reagent) to give N,N-
diethylbenzenesulphonamide which is insoluble in alkali Since N, N-diethylbenzene sulphonamide does not
contain any hydrogen atom attached to nitrogen atom.

(iii)Tertiary amines do not react with benzenesulphonyl chloride.

Important note: Now day’s benzenesulphonyl chloride is replaced by p-toluenesulphonyl chloride.
11. Azo dye test
 Aniline & its derivative give this test.
 Reagent: (NaNO2 + HCl )[Nitrous acid] followed by  -napthol
 Test: Aniline on reaction with NaNO2 + HCl at 273-278 K gives BDC which forms a brilliant orange
dye with  -napthol in sodium hydroxide.
 Reaction:
C6H5-NH2 + NaNO2 + HCl   C6H5-N+2 Cl¯ 
273- 278K

 orange Azo dye
- napthol

Summary of chemical Test

S.No Test Reagent Inference
1. Lucas test :To distinguish ZnCl2/HCl 0
(3 ) Alcohols gives Turbidity
between Primary (10), (immediately), 20 Turbidity after some
Secondary (2 ), & Tertiary
0
time (5-10 min) 10 does not give
(3 ) Alcohols)
0
Turbidity at room temperture

2. Iodoform test (Alcohols I2 / NaOH Yellow Ppt of CHI3 .is formed

containing CH3-CH(OH)-
linkage)
3. Neutral ferric chloride Neutral FeCl3 Violet colouration
test(Phenol)

4. Tollens test [Aliphatic Ammoniacal . Bright silver mirror [Ag] is produced due
Aldehydes(e.g.Ethanal,Pro AgNO3 to the formation of silver metal.
panal etc) & Aromatic
Aldehydes (Benzaldehyde
etc.)]

5. Fehling’s test [Only Fehling solution A Reddish brown precipitate of [Cu2O] is

Aliphatic Aldehydes] (aqueous copper obtained.
sulphate & Fehling
solution B alkaline
sodium potassium
tartarate(Rochelle
salt)
6. Iodoform test I2 / NaOH Yellow Ppt of CHI3 .is formed
(Aldehydes & Ketones
containing –COCH3
linkage)

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 7. Sodium bicarbonate NaHCO3 Effervescence due to evolution of CO2
test (Aliphatic & Aromatic Sodium gas.
Carboxylic acids) Hydrogencarbonate

8. Isocyanide test Primary Chloroform(CHCl3) Unpleasent odur (foul smelling) of

Aliphatic & Aromatic + Alcoholic KOH isocyanides or carbylamines .
amines.
9. Heinsberg test(To Benzenesulphonyl Product of 10 Amines soluble in alkali.
distinguish between (10), chloride C6H5SO2Cl Product of 20 Amines are insoluble in
(20), & (30) Amines. alkali
10. Azo dye test(Aniline) (NaNO2 + HCl Reaction with NaNO2 + HCl at 273-278
)[Nitrous acid] K gives BDC which forms a brilliant
followed by  - orange Azo dye with  -napthol in
napthol sodium hydroxide

11. Test for Methanoic acid Amm . AgNO3 & Bright silver mirror [Ag] is produced due
(Formic acid) Fehling solution to the formation of silver metal
Tollens test & Fehling’s A&B Reddish brown precipitate of [Cu2O] is
test obtained.

GIVE A CHEMICAL TEST TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN FOLLOWING PAIRS OF COMPOUNDS:

UNIT: 10 HALOALKANES AND HALOARENES
1. Ethyl bromide & Bromobenzene 4. Chlorobenzene & chlorocyclohexane
2. Ethyl bromide & Vinyl chloride 5. Chlorobenzene and Benzylchloride
3. Chlorobenzene & n-hexyl chloride 6. Bromobenzene and Benzylbromide

UNIT: 11 ALCOHOLS,PHENOLS & ETHERS

7. Methanol and Ethanol 12. Sec.butyl alcohol & Tert.butyl alcohol
8. Propanol and Propan-2-ol 13. Phenol and Cyclohexanol
9. n-Propyl alcohol & Isopropyl alcohol 14. 10,20,&30 Alchols
10. 2-Methyl Propan-2-ol and Propanol 15. Phenol and Benzoic acid
11. n-Butyl alcohol & Sec.butyl alcohol
UNIT: 12 Aldehydes,Ketones & Carboxylic acids
16. Propanal and Propanone 23. Benzaldehyde & Propanal
17. Acetophenone and Benzophenone 24. Acetone and Acetaldehyde
18. Phenol and Benzoic acid 25. Acetaldehyde and Benzaldehyde
19. Benzoic acid and Ethyl benzoate 26. Ethanoic acid and Ethnoyl chloride
20. Pentan-2-one and Pentan-3-one 27. Formic acid and Acetic acid
21. Benzaldehyde and Acetophenone
22. Ethanal and Propanal
UNIT: 13 AMINES
28. Methylamine and dimethylamine
29. Ethylamine and aniline
30. Aniline and benzylamine
31. Aniline and N-methylaniline
32. N-methyl Propane -2-amine and N-ethyl N-methyl ethanamine
33. Secondary and tertiary amines
34. 10,20,& 30 Amines
35. Describe a method for the identification of primary, secondary and tertiary amines.Write reactions
involved.

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