Moderate

Which of the following is not a use of formaldehyde ?

Correct answer: D. in making acetic acid

  • A. in silvery mirror
  • B. in making medicine urotropine
  • C. in making throat lozenges
  • D. in making acetic acid

Explanation

Formaldehyde can be used in silvering mirrors and in preparing urotropine, while its antiseptic action supports some medicinal uses such as throat lozenges. Acetic acid is obtained by oxidation of acetaldehyde, CH3CHO + [O] → CH3COOH, not from formaldehyde. The likely mistake is to treat all aldehydes as giving the same oxidation product without considering the carbon chain.

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About Reactivity of Aldehydes and Ketones

The polar carbonyl group makes aldehydes and ketones undergo nucleophilic addition, reduction and condensation reactions. Aldehydes are generally more reactive and oxidise readily to carboxylic acids, whereas ketones resist mild oxidation; reactions with hydrogen cyanide, sodium bisulfite and 2,4-DNP help identify their behaviour.

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