How can you test for aldehydes and ketones?

Aldehydes can be differentiated from ketones as they give a positive result for the following tests -Tollens' reagent turns from a colourless solution to a silver precipitate.Fehling's solution turns from a blue solution to a red/orange precipitate.If the compound present is a ketone, there will be no further reaction. The reason these tests give the above results for aldehydes is because the reagents are weak oxidising agents, so the aldehydes are oxidised to carboxylic acids and the reagents are reduced, resulting in the observable changes. Ketones cannot be further oxidised, so this is why there is no reaction.

GN
Answered by Gabriella N. Chemistry tutor

3268 Views

See similar Chemistry A Level tutors

Related Chemistry A Level answers

All answers ▸

Explain the purpouse of reflux in the oxidation of ethanol to ethanoic acid


Palladium acts as a heterogeneous catalyst in the reaction between an alkene with hydrogen by providing an alternative reaction route. Describe the stages of this reaction route. (3 marks)


Draw [Cu(H2O)6]2+ and explain why is it blue in colour.


Explain why the element nickel has a high melting point


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning