Question

Explain carbyl amine test.

Answer 1

When aliphatic/aromatic primary amines are heated with chloroform and alcoholic KOH, foul smelling carbylamines ( or isocyanides) are obtained. This test is not given by secondary or tertiary amines.

$\underset{\text{Aniline}}{Ph-N{H}_2}+CHC{l}_3+3KOH\stackrel{\Delta }{\to }\underset{\text{Phenyl isocyanide}}{Ph-NC}+3KCl+3H_{2}O$