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19 votes
How to distinguish between ethanol and 2 -methyl-2-propanol

User Sandor
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1 Answer

16 votes
16 votes

Answer:

There are many reagents.

1. Use acidified potassium permanganate solution

2. Use acidified potassium dichromate solution

3. Fehling solution.

4. Silver/ oxygen at 500°C

5. Copper/ oxygen at 300°C

6. Lucas reagent ( anhydrous zinc and conc. hydrochloric acid)

Step-by-step explanation:

Observations:

[with acidified potassium permanganate solution]

» Ethanol : The purple solution turns colourless.

» 2-methyl-2-propanol : no observable change.

[with acidified potassium dichromate solution]

» Ethanol : orange solution turns green

» 2-methyl-2-propanol : no observable change.

[Fehling solution]

» Ethanol : a white precipitate is formed

» 2-methyl-2-propanol : no observable change

User Anton Rodin
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