CBSE 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:Phenolreacts 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.
Ketone
Important Note: Ketones do not give this test
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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 Cu + 5 OH¯  RCOO¯ + Cu2O + 3 H2O
2+

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.
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
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(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 (20), & Tertiary time (5-10 min) 10 does not give
(30) Alcohols)
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)
7. Sodium bicarbonate NaHCO3 Effervescence due to evolution of CO2
test (Aliphatic & Aromatic Sodium gas.
Carboxylic acids) Hydrogencarbonate
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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
2. Ethyl bromide & Vinyl chloride
3. Chlorobenzene & n-hexyl chloride
4. Chlorobenzene & chlorocyclohexane
5. Chlorobenzene and Benzylchloride
6. Bromobenzene and Benzylbromide
UNIT: 11 ALCOHOLS,PHENOLS & ETHERS
7. Methanol and Ethanol
8. Propanol and Propan-2-ol
9. n-Propyl alcohol & Isopropyl alcohol
10. 2-Methyl Propan-2-ol and Propanol
11. n-Butyl alcohol & Sec.butyl alcohol
12. Sec.butyl alcohol & Tert.butyl alcohol
13. Phenol and Cyclohexanol
14. 10,20,&30 Alchols
15. Phenol and Benzoic acid
UNIT: 12 ALDEHYDES,KETONES & CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
16. Propanal and Propanone
17. Acetophenone and Benzophenone
18. Phenol and Benzoic acid
19. Benzoic acid and Ethyl benzoate
20. Pentan-2-one and Pentan-3-one
21. Benzaldehyde and Acetophenone
22. Ethanal and Propanal
23. Benzaldehyde & Propanal
24. Acetone and Acetaldehyde
25. CH3CHO & CH3COCH3
26. C6H5CHO & CH3CHO
27. Acetaldehyde and Benzaldehyde
28. Ethanoic acid and Ethnoyl chloride
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29. Methanoic acid and Ethanoic acid
30. Formic acid and Acetic acid
UNIT: 13 AMINES
31. Methylamine and dimethylamine
32. CHCl3 & CH3Cl
33. Ethylamine and aniline
34. Aniline and benzylamine
35. Aniline and N-methylaniline
36. N-methyl Propane -2-amine and N-ethyl N-methyl ethanamine
37. Secondary and tertiary amines
38. 10,20,& 30 Amines
39. Describe a method for the identification of primary, secondary and tertiary amines. Also write chemical
equations of the reactions involved