Home > Organic Chemistry > Quick Introduction of Structures

What is Tollen's test used for?

Answer 1

As a means to distinguish between ketones and aldehydes.

The Tollens test distinguishes between aldehydes and (most) ketones; the presence of an aldehyde is indicated by the appearance of a silver mirror. This is a wet method that would have been used a century ago.

It is a fact that the best silver mirrors (i.e. an antique mirror in which you would paint your face) were made by this chemical technique. That is submerge a glass sheet (one side of which had been waxed or greased) into a large bath of ammoniacal silver nitrate. Careful addition of a primary alcohol or aldehyde would cause reduction of the #Ag^+# onto one side of the glass plate (of course it would not stick to the greased side). Out of the bath would come a high quality silver mirror, ready for mounting in a decorative frame.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer 2

Nolan Allen

Tollen's test is used to detect the presence of aldehydes in a given substance.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.