0

Guest

Courses New

why is that ketones do not react with tollens reagent but aldehydes do?

why is that ketones do not react with tollens reagent but aldehydes do?

Grade:12

1 Answers

Aarti Gupta
askIITians Faculty 300 Points
9 years ago
Tollen’s reagent is one of the reagents which is used to distinguish aldehydes from ketones.The reaction of aldehydes with Tollen’s reagent is an oxidation reaction.Aldehydes are oxidised easily but ketones do not.
Tollen’s reagent is an ammonical silver nitrate solution.When an aldehyde is treated with this reagent,silver ions are reduced to metallic siver and a bright silver mirror is produced on the inner sides of the test-tube.This oxidation requires an alkaline medium.
RCHO + 2[Ag(NH3)2]+ + 3OH- ---------> RCOO- + 2Ag + 2H2O + 4NH3
The reason for this difference is that an aldehyde molecule has H-atom (RCHO),due to which they can easily oxidise but in case of ketones(RCOR’) they lack H-atom so they resist to oxidise and only very strong oxidising agent like potassium permagnate can only oxidise them.

Think You Can Provide A Better Answer ?

Other Related Questions on Organic Chemistry

View all Questions »

ASK QUESTION

Get your questions answered by the expert for free

Answer and earn gift vouchers

Win Gift vouchers upto Rs 500/-

View courses by askIITians

Design classes One-on-One in your own way with Top IITians/Medical Professionals

Click Here Know More

Complete Self Study Package designed by Industry Leading Experts

Click Here Know More

Live 1-1 coding classes to unleash the Creator in your Child

Click Here Know More

a Complete All-in-One Study package Fully Loaded inside a Tablet!

Click Here Know More