Question

Give the Victor Meyer's test for tertiary alcohol.

Answer 1

1. Tertiary alcohol is converted into tertiary alkyl iodide by treatment with $P/I_2$.
2. The alkyl iodide is then converted into nitro alkanes by Silver Nitrate $\left(AgN{O}_2\right)$.
3. The nitro alkane is treated with nitrous acid $\left(HN{O}_2\right)$ and then with aqueous $KOH$. Alcohols are identified from their colour of the product.

Absence of $\alpha -H$ in tertiary alcohol makes it inactive to nitrous acid.