Question

(a) What would be observed on adding a 5% alkaline potassium permanganate solution drop by drop to some warm ethanol in a test-tube? Write the name of the compound formed during the chemical reaction. Also write chemical equation of the reaction which takes place.
(b) How would you distinguish experimentally between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid on the basis of a chemical property?

Answer 1

(a) When 5% alkaline potassium permanganate solution is added drop by drop to warm ethanol in a test tube, an oxidation reaction would be observed by us. Ethanol is oxidised to ethanoic acid in the presence of the strong oxidising agent alkaline potassium permanganate.

The chemical equation for the above reaction is as follows:
CH₃CH₂OH + 2[O] → CH₃COOH + H₂O

(b) Experimentally, we can distinguish between an alcohol and carboxylic acid by conducting a litmus test. Take two test tubes and pour about 2 ml of carboxylic acid in one, and 2 ml of alcohol in the other. Add one drop of blue litmus solution in each of the test tubes.
The solution which shows no effect is alcohol, and the solution that turns the blue litmus red is carboxylic acid.