Question
How would you distinguish experimentally between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid?

Answer

  • An alcohol and a carboxylic acid can be distinguished experimentally by the following tests:
  • $(1)$ Sodium hydrogencarbonate test:
  • Take a small amount of each substance in two different test tubes and add to it an aqueous solution of sodium hydrogencarbonate.
  • Test tube in which brisk effervescence of $CO_2$ gas appear contains carboxylic acid.
  • Solution of ethanol does not produce brisk effervescence of $CO_2$ gas.
  • $(2)$ Alkaline potassium permanganate test:
  • Take a small amount of each substance in two different test tubes, and add to it a few drops of alkaline potassium permanganate and warm the test tubes.
  • The purple colour of potassium permanganate disappear in the test tube containing alcohol.
  • Solution of carboxylic acid does not discharge the colour of potassium permanganate.

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