In the Fehling's solution test for an aldehyde, the red precipitates is due to the formation of
- cupric nitrate
- copper
- cupric oxide
- cuprous oxide
Solution
$\mathrm{RCHO}+2 \mathrm{Cu}^{2+}+5 \mathrm{OH}^{-} ightarrow \mathrm{RCOO}^{-}+\mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{O}+3 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}$
When tartrate is added, the reaction can be written as:
$\mathrm{RCHO}+2 \mathrm{Cu}\left(\mathrm{C}_{4} \mathrm{H}_{4} \mathrm{O}_{6}ight)_{2}{ }^{2-}+5 \mathrm{OH}^{-} ightarrow \mathrm{RCOO}^{-}+\mathrm{Cu}_{2} \mathrm{O}+4 \mathrm{C}_{4} \mathrm{H}_{4} \mathrm{O}_{6}^{2-}+3 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}$
When the redox reaction is completed, the copper $\mathrm{(II)}$ ions are reduced to Copper $\mathrm{(I)}$ oxide, which forms a red precipitate and is insoluble in water. A positive test result is indicated by the presence of this red precipitate.
Asked in: JEE-TOPICTESTS-CHEMISTRY