Give simple chemical tests to distinhuish between the following pairs of compounds
Benzoic acid and Ethyl benzoate

Explanation

Benzoic acid `(C_(6)H_(5)COOH)` and Ethyl Benzoate `(C_(6)H_(5)COOC_(2)H_(5))`. Benzoic acid is an acid while ethyl benzoate is an eater. These may be distinguished as follows :
(a) Sod, bicarbonate test : Benzoic acid will decompose sod. bicarbonate to give `CO_(2)` while ethyl benzoate will not.
`underset("Benzoic acid")(C_(6)H_(5)COOH) + NaHCO_(3) rarr C_(6)H_(5)COONa + CO_(2) + H_(2)O`
`C_(6)H_(5)COOC_(2)H_(5) + NaHCO_(3) rarr` No action.
(b) Litmus test : Benzoic acid (as an aqueous solution) will turn blue litmus red, while ethyl benzoate will not.
`C_(6)H_(5)COOH +` Blue litmus `rarr` Red.
`C_(6)H_(5)COOC_(2)H_(5)` + Blue litmus `rarr` No action.