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JEE Main levelOne or more correct optionsDifficulty 2 of 3si015

Which of the following reagents can be used to distinguish propanal from propanone? (more than one may be correct)

  1. A2,4-DNP
  2. BFehling's solution
  3. CSaturated aqueous
  4. DTollens reagent

Answer: B, D

Propanal is an aliphatic aldehyde and reduces Tollens reagent (silver mirror) and Fehling's solution (red ); propanone does not. Both give a 2,4-DNP precipitate and both form bisulphite adducts, so those reagents cannot distinguish them.
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