Which of following pairs can be differentiated by Tollen's...

Which of following pairs can be differentiated by Tollen's reagent?
(a) Benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohol
(b) Pentanal and diethyl ether
(c) 2 - pentanol and 2 - petnanone
(d) Pentanal and 2 - petnanone

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Key Concepts

Tollens’ Reagent

Tollens’ reagent is a solution made from silver nitrate and ammonia used as a mild oxidizing agent. It specifically reacts with aldehydes, oxidizing them to carboxylic acids while reducing silver ions to metallic silver, which deposits as a characteristic silver mirror. This property is essential for identifying the presence of an aldehyde functional group in a compound.

Aldehyde Reactivity

Aldehydes are uniquely reactive towards mild oxidizing agents like Tollens’ reagent because the carbonyl group is more readily oxidized compared to other functional groups. This reaction is a classic qualitative test where an aldehyde's ability to reduce silver ions distinguishes it from other similar compounds, such as ketones, alcohols, or ethers that do not give a positive Tollens’ test.

Functional Group Differentiation

Understanding the reactivity of different functional groups—such as aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, and ethers—is fundamental in organic chemistry. Differentiating compounds based on their chemical reactions with selective reagents allows chemists to identify and characterize substances, as seen with the Tollens’ test which discriminates primarily based on the presence or absence of an aldehyde group.

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