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JAMB Chemistry 2021 Question 37

Question 37

Alkanols

An unlabelled reagent bottle containing a clean organic liquid when tested with litmus paper and heated with metallic sodium. It was neutral to litmus paper and produced a colourless gas with the sodium. The liquid must be an

  1. A.alkanoate
  2. B.alkanol
  3. C.alkane
  4. D.alkene
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (alkanol)

Explanation

Alkanols are neutral to litmus but react with sodium to give hydrogen gas (2ROH + 2Na → 2RONa + H2); alkanes and alkenes do not react with sodium.