NCERT · Class 12 · Chemistry · AminesWrite the chemical reaction for the carbylamine test.

The carbylamine test is a specific chemical test used to identify primary amines, both aliphatic and aromatic. When a primary amine is heated with chloroform and alcoholic potassium hydroxide, an offensive smelling substance called isocyanide or carbylamine is formed. The reaction equation is represented as $RNH_2 + CHCl_3 + 3KOH \rightarrow RNC + 3KCl + 3H_2O$. This test is extremely sensitive and is extensively used in qualitative analysis laboratories to distinguish primary amines from secondary and tertiary amines because secondary and tertiary amines do not give this reaction.