Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Chemistry

Chapter

Organic: Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids

Question:

The chemical composition of Tollens' regent is

Options:

Sodium bicarbonate

Mercurous chloride

lodoform

Ammoniacal silver nitrate solution

Correct Answer:

Ammoniacal silver nitrate solution

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option (4) → Ammoniacal silver nitrate solution

Tollens' reagent (used to test for aldehydes, giving the silver mirror test) is prepared by adding aqueous ammonia (NH₃) to silver nitrate (AgNO₃) solution until the initial precipitate of Ag₂O redissolves. This forms the diamminesilver(I) complex [Ag(NH₃)₂]⁺ in solution.

  • Chemical composition: Ammoniacal solution of silver nitrate (or more precisely, [Ag(NH₃)₂]NO₃ in aqueous NaOH/ammonia).

The other options are unrelated:

  • Sodium bicarbonate: Buffer, not a reagent for aldehyde test.
  • Mercurous chloride: Calomel, used in reference electrodes.
  • Iodoform: CHI₃, product of iodoform test for methyl ketones/acetaldehyde.

Thus, the correct answer is Ammoniacal silver nitrate solution