Question

Dry distillation of a mixture of calcium acetate and calcium formate forms :

• A. methanol
• B. ethanal
• C. ethanol
• D. acetone

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

ethanal

Calcium salts of carboxylic acid on crossing with each other form ketones/aldehydes with the alkyl parts derived from different carboxylic groups.

When a mixture of calcium acetate and calcium formate is heated, $C{H}_{3}CHO$ and $CaC{O}_3$ is formed.

Here, the alkyl part is derived from acetate and the aldehyde part is derived from formate. So ethanal is formed.

Hence,