Title: Tollens Reagent
Literature References: A solution prepd from equal amounts of 10% silver nitrate and 10% sodium hydroxide solutions to which enough dilute ammonia solution has been added to dissolve the precipitated silver oxide. Tollens reagent oxidizes aldehydes to the corresponding acids; during the reaction the silver, bound in form of a complex, is reduced to metallic silver and forms a characteristic silver mirror. Refs: B. Tollens, Ber. 15, 1635 (1882); W. Ponndorf, ibid. 64B, 1913 (1937); S. Siggia, E. Segel, Anal. Chem. 25, 640 (1953); J. M. Kolthoff, P. J. Elving, Treatise on Analytical Chemistry vol. 13 (New York, 1966) p 183.
CAUTION: Tollens reagent should always be prepared freshly; old, opaque or "dried out" solutions are explosive, H. Waldmann, Chimia 13, 297 (1959).
Use: Reagent in characterization of sugars, aldehydes, hydrazides. As oxidizing agent. |