Monday, October 4, 2010

Preparation of salicylaldehyde from phenol

Using phenol how can we prepare salicylaldehyde? I hope we all are familiar with the reaction named Reimer-Tiemann reaction. Here note that phenol when heated with chloroform & NaOH at 60 degree Celsius & on acidifying the product obtained, salicylaldehyde is formed.
Also remember that if carbontetrachloride is used instead of chloroform, the product obtained is salicylic acid.

Schiff's reagent

Chemistry students are familiar with this schiff's reagent. This is a reagent used to distinguish aldehyde & ketones.It is important to note that ketones do not answer this test but aldehyde answer this. Remember that by decolorizing a solution of p-rosaniline hydrochloride in water by SO2, we can prepare schiff's reagent.