Describe how you could distinguish between ethanol, ethanoic acid, ethyl bromide and 2-methylpropan-1-ol.

First, you should add sodium hydrogen carbonate to all three compounds. Ethanoic acid will react with this to release a gas which will turn limewater cloudy.
Second, you should add acidified potassium dichromate. With ethanol, because it is a primary alcohol, the orange solution will turn to green. With 2-methylpropan-1-ol there will be no colour change because it is a tertiary alcohol.
Finally, the distinguish which solution is ethyl bromide you should add silver nitrate. A cream precipitate will be formed.

EW

Related Chemistry A Level answers

All answers ▸

Draw the structure of chlorine pentafluoride (ClF5) according to the VSEPR theory


Explain the polarity of both CH3CH2Br and CBr3CBr3.


Calculate the mass of the following substance: a) 2.5 x 10^23 molecules of N2


Discuss the trend in first ionisation energies across the second period of the periodic table.