Final answer:
In a bromine test, the red color would persist in hexane as it is a saturated compound and does not react with bromine, while it would disappear in 2-hexene, which contains a double bond and undergoes halogenation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The bromine test is a qualitative assay in organic chemistry for the presence of unsaturation, particularly double bonds in alkenes. When bromine solution, which is brownish-red in color, is added to an alkene such as 2-hexene, the color of the solution disappears as the alkene reacts with the bromine to form a colorless dibromoalkane. This happens because alkenes readily undergo halogenation. In contrast, hexane is a saturated alkane and does not react with bromine; hence in hexane, the red color of bromine would persist. This test is useful for distinguishing between unsaturated and saturated hydrocarbons. When using bromine to differentiate hexane and 2-hexene, the red color would remain in the hexane sample since it is saturated and does not react with bromine.