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NEET-UG and JEE Main Chemistry · Class 12

Identification of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols — NEET & JEE Questions

Identification of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols is a topic in Organic Compounds Containing Oxygen, a Class 12 Chemistry chapter of the NEET-UG and JEE Main syllabus. TestBudy holds 12 published NEET-UG and JEE Main questions on Identification of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols, each with the marking scheme of the real paper.

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Identification of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols MCQs with solutions

10 of the 12 published questions on this topic, exactly as they appear in a test. Answers and worked solutions come with your result rather than on this page.

  1. Question 1 · difficulty L1 · recall

    In the Lucas test, tertiary alcohols generally react

    • A. fastest, giving turbidity almost immediately
    • B. only after prolonged heating
    • C. not at all
    • D. more slowly than primary alcohols

  2. Question 2 · difficulty L2 · understanding

    Lucas reagent is a mixture of concentrated HCl and

    • A. anhydrous ZnCl2ZnCl_2
    • B. NaOHNaOH
    • C. KMnO4KMnO_4
    • D. AgNO3AgNO_3

  3. Question 3 · difficulty L2 · understanding

    A primary alcohol on mild oxidation first generally gives

    • A. an aldehyde
    • B. a ketone
    • C. an alkane
    • D. a tertiary alcohol

  4. Question 4 · difficulty L2 · understanding

    A secondary alcohol on oxidation generally gives

    • A. a ketone
    • B. an aldehyde
    • C. a carboxylic acid without C-C cleavage in one step
    • D. no product at all

  5. Question 5 · difficulty L3 · application

    Which alcohol gives turbidity immediately at room temperature with Lucas reagent?

    • A. Ethanol
    • B. Propan-1-ol
    • C. Propan-2-ol
    • D. 2-Methylpropan-2-ol

  6. Question 6 · difficulty L3 · application

    Which alcohol is oxidised to propanone?

    • A. Propan-1-ol
    • B. Propan-2-ol
    • C. 2-Methylpropan-2-ol
    • D. Methanol

  7. Question 7 · difficulty L3 · application

    An alcohol is oxidised to ethanal under controlled conditions. Which alcohol was used?

    • A. Methanol
    • B. Ethanol
    • C. Propan-1-ol
    • D. Propan-2-ol

  8. Question 8 · difficulty L3 · application

    An alcohol resists ordinary oxidation because the carbon bearing OHOH has no hydrogen. Which class is it most likely?

    • A. Primary
    • B. Secondary
    • C. Tertiary
    • D. Phenolic only

  9. Question 9 · difficulty L4 · application

    An unknown alcohol gives Lucas turbidity after a few minutes, not immediately, and oxidises to a ketone. What is it?

    • A. Primary
    • B. Secondary
    • C. Tertiary
    • D. Not an alcohol

  10. Question 10 · difficulty L4 · application

    An unknown alcohol gives no Lucas turbidity at room temperature but is readily oxidised to an aldehyde. Which class is indicated?

    • A. Primary
    • B. Secondary
    • C. Tertiary
    • D. Quaternary

Common mistakes in Identification of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols

Recorded against questions in this topic that are not shown above, so none of these points at an answer you can see on this page.

  • Assumes oxidation resistance means the sample is not an alcohol.
  • Uses Lucas behaviour alone and fails to combine it with the diagnostic oxidation products.

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