Will benzene decolourize bromine water?

1 Answer
anor277
Jan 4, 2018

Bromine water will NOT be decolourized by benzene...

Explanation:

A standard test for the presence of olefins, of unsaturated #C=C# bonds, is whether the material will decolourize bromine water, according to the following equation...

#RCH=CH_2 + underbrace(Br_2(aq))_"orange red" rarr underbrace(RCH(OH)CH_2Br)_"colourless"#

When you do these test with UNKNOWNS, it is often useful to PREDO the test with an ACTUAL olefin, so that you know what colour change corresponds to a positive test.

Benzene is an aromatic molecule, and will not react with bromine except in the presence of Lewis acids.....

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