Question

Give a chemical test to distinguish methanol and ethanol?

Answer 1

Iodoform is a type of test that can used to differentiate between methanol and ethanol. When ethanol is warmed with Iodine in the presence of Naoh, it forms a yellow colored precipitate.Methanol on the other hand does not react positively to iodoform test.

Answer 2

Iodoform test can be used to distinguish between ethanol and methanol.  

Ethanol gives yellow color precipitate with the reaction of it with $\bold{\mathrm{I}_{2} \text { and } \mathrm{NaOH}}$. The yellow precipitate is due to formation of $\mathrm{CHI}_{3}$ that is iodoform whereas this test is not possible with methanol.  

This is because iodoform test can only possible the compound which has $\mathrm{CH}_{3}-\mathrm{CO}$ part. In ethanol, when oxidized it forms $\mathrm{CH}_{3}-\mathrm{CHO}$ which further form $\mathrm{CHI}_{3}$ compound.