1.

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

Answer»

Sodium bicarbonate test is the best method to experimentally distinguish carboxylic acid from alcohol because even phenol does not respond to this test. In this test, carboxylic acid reacts with sodium bicarbonate to form sodium acetate and a brisk effervescence of CO2

This effervescence is what indicates the carboxylic acid. 

RCOOH + NaHCO3 → RCOONa + H2O + CO2 

NOTE: Sodium bicarbonate test is also known as sodium hydrogen-carbonate test.



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