Question
Explain Tollen’s reagent test.
Explain silver mirror test.

Answer

$1.$ Tollen’s reagent is an $($ammoniacal silver nitrate$) [Ag(NH_3)_2]^+ OH^–.$
$2.$ When an aldehyde, like acetaldehyde is heated with Tollen’s reagent, it is oxidised to acetic acid and silver ions $Ag^+$ in Tollen’s reagent complex are reduced to silver Ag giving greyish black precipitate or deposition of silver on inner surface of the test tube which shines like a mirror. Hence this test is also called silver mirror test.
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$3.$ This test is not given by ketones.
$4.$ Hence Tollen’s reagent is used to distinguish between aldehydes and ketones.

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