Aarti Gupta
Last Activity: 11 Years ago
Tollen's reagent is an colorless,basic solution of silver ions coordinated to ammonia [Ag(NH3)+]..This reagent is used to differentiate aldehydes with ketones as former are oxidised by the reagent but latter do not. Acetaldehyde when reacts with this reagent forms corresponding acid and silver ions reduced to metallic silver.If reaction is carried out in test tube silver mirror is formed,so it is also called as silver mirror test for aldehydes.
CH3CHO +2Ag+ +2OH- ------------> CH3COOH +2Ag + H2O
Acetaldehyde acetic acid
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Aarti Gupta
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