aldehydes and ketones

Question

Fehling's solution is reduced by:

RankGuru · Accepted Answer

**Fehling's Solution** (a mixture of Copper sulfate and alkaline Sodium potassium tartrate) is a mild oxidizing agent.
- **Aliphatic Aldehydes**: Readily reduce the deep blue $Cu^{2+}$ complex to a **reddish-brown precipitate of Cuprous oxide ($Cu_2O$)**.
- **Ketones**: Generally do not react because they lack the necessary $H$ atom attached to the carbonyl carbon for easy oxidation.
- **Aromatic Aldehydes** (e.g., Benzaldehyde) are also a classic exception and do **not** reduce Fehling's solution, making it a useful test to distinguish them from aliphatic ones.

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aldehydes and ketones

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