A suitable reagent for distinguishing between ethanoic acid ethanol is
Answer Details
A suitable reagent for distinguishing between ethanoic acid and ethanol is ammoniacal silver trioxonitrate (V) or Tollens' reagent.
When Tollens' reagent is added to a solution containing ethanol, it does not react, and the solution remains clear. However, when Tollens' reagent is added to a solution containing ethanoic acid, a silver mirror forms on the inside of the test tube. This happens because ethanoic acid is an aldehyde and can be oxidized by Tollens' reagent to produce carboxylic acid and a silver mirror. Ethanol, on the other hand, does not react with Tollens' reagent because it is not an aldehyde.
Other reagents like bromine water, Fehling's solution, and sodium hydrogentrioxocarbonate (IV) are not suitable for distinguishing between ethanoic acid and ethanol because they either react with both compounds or do not produce any noticeable change in either of them.