INTRODUCTION

Tollens' test, also known as silver-mirror test, is a

qualitative laboratory test used to distinguish between an
aldehyde and a ketone. It exploits the fact that aldehydes are
readily oxidized (see oxidation), whereas ketones are not.
To distinguish reducing sugars from non-reducing sugars.
To detect the presence of aldehyde containing carbohydrates
and differentiate them from ketone containing
carbohydrates.
The Tollens' test, also known as the "Silver mirror test," was developed by
Bernard Tollens, a German chemist, and was a qualitative laboratory technique
used to impose via aldehyde and ketone. A carbon atom in an aldehyde has a
double bond with an oxygen atom, a single bond with a hydrogen atom, and a
single bond with another atom or group of atoms. A ketone is any organic
molecule with a carbonyl group that is covalently connected to an oxygen atom.
Both ketone and aldehyde are chemical compounds that contain a carbonyl
functional group. A test will be conducted to elaborate on the use ofThe Tollens
reaction in aldehyde is oxidized to a carboxylic acid while the silver ion is
reduced to silver metal, the importance of the test is to impose reducing sugars
from non-reducing sugars, and to determine the presence of aldehyde that
contains carbohydrates and separate them from aldehyde that contains ketone
carbohydrates.
 METHOD
Materials: 1. Take two clean, dry
test tubes and add 1
·Test tubes ml of the test

·Test tube
sample in one test
tube and 1 ml of

stand distilled water in

another as blank.
·Pipette 2. Add 2 ml of Tollen's
reagent to both the

test tubes.
3. Keep both the test
Equipment tubes in a water

·Water bath
bath for 1 min.
4. Observe the

formation of color
and note it down.

 Data:
1.A positive result is shown by the production of a
dark grey precipitate or a silver mirror on the
bottom and sides of the test tube, indicating that the
provided sample contains reducing sugars/aldoses.
2. The absence of such precipitate gives a negative
result, indicating that the test sample lacks reducing
sugars/aldoses/-hydroxy ketoses.
Analysis:
Tollens' Reagent is the alkaline solution of silver
nitrate and ammonia. The reagent is freshly prepared
in the laboratory and used for qualitative analysis. It
is not recommended to store the reagent due to poor
shelf life. Hence, the reagent is not sold
commercially.
Tollens’ Reagent Preparation
Step: 1. Dilute NaOH is added to an aqueous solution of
silver nitrate to form a brown precipitate of silver
oxide (Ag2O). The reaction is:
2AgNo3+2NaOH → Ag2O+2NaNO3+H2O
Step: 2. Silver oxide is the brown-colored precipitate
that is added to aqueous ammonia. ⌈Ag (NH3)2⌋+ is
formed as the result of dissolution which is the
primary complex of Tollens' reagent.
Ag2O+4NH3+ 2NaNO3+H2O → 2 Ag⌈(NH3)2⌋NO3+2NaOH
 CONCLUSION:·
The Tollen's Reagent test caused the oxidation of
aldehydes thus forming a mirror-like image in the
test tube rendering it a positive test and the
Iodoform reaction produced a yellow precipitate
in the test tube which concluded the presence of an
aldehyde.

The Tollens' Test is one of the naming responses

used in laboratory qualitative analysis.

Tollens' Test is a mild oxidizing agent that is

used to oxidize aldehydes and hydroxyl ketone.

REFERENSE

https://microbenotes.com/tollens-test/
https://microbenotes.com/tollens-test/