Question
Give simple tests to distinguish between the following pairs of compounds:
Benzoic acid and Ethyl benzoate
Solution
Benzoic acid and Ethyl benzoate:
(a) Benzoic acid produces effervescence with NaHCO3 solution while ethyl benzoate does not.
(b) Benzoic acid produces vapours of benzene when heated with soda lime (CaO + NaOH) while ethyl benzoate does not.