Question

Write simple chemical tests and observations used to distinguish between the following compounds.
(i) Propanal and propanone
(ii) Phenol and benzoic acid.

Answer 1

• Tollens’ test, is a qualitative laboratory test used to distinguish between an aldehyde and a ketone. It the test aldehydes are readily oxidized by Tollens' reagent, whereas ketones are not.
  

• Phenol react with neutral $Fe{Cl}_3$ to form an iron phenol complex to give violet colourization. But Benzoic acid reacts with it to give a buff coloured precipitate of ferric benzoate.