Teacher gave us homework that I really don't understand. We must write chemical reactions by which we differentiate alcohols, esters, hydrogenic carbon,carboxylic acid and halogen alkanes from each other. We must not write the same reaction for two different compounds and we must not write for example just supstitution because by looking in the test tube we don't see that supstitution is happening we must write which physical change have happened,something which we can identify by just looking :(
And we must write that for all of the compounds I wrote. can you help me please, this is really important and teacher is going to mark this :(
Of course, I'll do my best to help you out! Here are some chemical reactions that can help differentiate between alcohols, esters, hydrocarbons, carboxylic acids, and halogenated alkanes. Remember, these reactions involve observable changes that you can identify with your eyes:
1. Differentiate Alcohols:
i) Oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes: Observe the formation of a colored product, such as a silver mirror with Tollens' reagent.
ii) Oxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids: Notice the formation of bubbles or effervescence when an acidified potassium dichromate solution is added.
2. Differentiate Esters:
i) Acid hydrolysis of esters into carboxylic acids and alcohols: Observe the noticeable change in smell as the fruity smell of the ester diminishes and acidic smell increases (due to the formation of carboxylic acids).
3. Differentiate Hydrocarbons:
Hydrocarbons such as alkanes (hydrocarbon chains without any functional groups) don't typically undergo specific reactions that produce observable changes. One way to differentiate them is to consider their solubility: alkanes are insoluble in water but soluble in nonpolar solvents like hexane or diethyl ether.
4. Differentiate Carboxylic Acids:
i) Formation of carboxylate salts: Add a base (e.g., sodium hydroxide) to a carboxylic acid, observe the formation of a salt (sodium carboxylate) with a different physical appearance, such as a precipitate or change in color.
ii) Effervescence with carbonates: Add a carbonate salt (e.g., sodium bicarbonate) to a carboxylic acid, and observe the release of carbon dioxide gas (bubbles or effervescence).
5. Differentiate Halogenated Alkanes:
i) Finkelstein reaction: React a halogenated alkane with an alcoholic solution of a different halide ion. Observe the formation of a different halogenated alkane with a distinct color or precipitate, indicating the presence of a new halogen.
Please note that these are general reactions, and the specific conditions or reagents required may vary depending on the specific compounds you are working with. It's essential to consult your textbook or lecture material to ensure accurate and complete answers.