Class 12 Chemistry: All 35 Named Reactions with Mechanisms & Conversions Sheet (CBSE & BSEB) | SolvIQ PrepOne
Study Hub/Class 12 Chemistry
Class 12 Chemistry

Class 12 Chemistry: All 35 Named Reactions with Mechanisms & Conversions Sheet (CBSE & BSEB)

PrepOne Academic Team
September 18, 2026
18 min read
Class 12 Chemistry: All 35 Named Reactions with Mechanisms & Conversions Sheet (CBSE & BSEB)

Summary: Organic Chemistry carries 33 marks in CBSE and 35+ marks in Bihar Board. This master compilation brings together all 35 compulsory NCERT name reactions, reaction mechanisms, functional group conversion pathways, and chemical distinction tests into a single study sheet.

Practice Reaction Tests on PrepOne →

Chapter-Wise Compulsory Name Reactions

1. Haloalkanes & Haloarenes

1. Sandmeyer Reaction: Diazonium salt with Cu2Cl2/HCl\text{Cu}_2\text{Cl}_2/\text{HCl} or Cu2Br2/HBr\text{Cu}_2\text{Br}_2/\text{HBr} yields chlorobenzene or bromobenzene:
Ar-N2+ClCu2Cl2/HClAr-Cl+N2\text{Ar-N}_2^+\text{Cl}^- \xrightarrow{\text{Cu}_2\text{Cl}_2 / \text{HCl}} \text{Ar-Cl} + \text{N}_2
2. Finkelstein Reaction (Halide Exchange): Alkyl chlorides or bromides reacted with NaI\text{NaI} in dry acetone yield alkyl iodides:
R-X+NaIdry acetoneR-I+NaX\text{R-X} + \text{NaI} \xrightarrow{\text{dry acetone}} \text{R-I} + \text{NaX} \downarrow
3. Swarts Reaction: Heating alkyl chloride/bromide with metallic fluorides (AgF,Hg2F2,CoF2\text{AgF}, \text{Hg}_2\text{F}_2, \text{CoF}_2):
R-Br+AgFR-F+AgBr\text{R-Br} + \text{AgF} \longrightarrow \text{R-F} + \text{AgBr} \downarrow
4. Wurtz-Fittig & Fittig Reactions: Coupling of aryl halides with alkyl halides or two aryl halides using sodium in dry ether:
Ar-X+2Na+R-Xdry etherAr-R+2NaX\text{Ar-X} + 2\text{Na} + \text{R-X} \xrightarrow{\text{dry ether}} \text{Ar-R} + 2\text{NaX}

2. Alcohols, Phenols & Ethers

5. Kolbe's Reaction: Phenol treated with NaOH\text{NaOH} followed by CO2\text{CO}_2 at 400 K,4-7 atm400\text{ K}, 4\text{-}7\text{ atm}, followed by acidification yields salicylic acid:
C6H5OH1.NaOH,2.CO2,3.H+o-HOC6H4COOH(Salicylic acid)\text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{OH} \xrightarrow{1.\, \text{NaOH}, \, 2.\, \text{CO}_2, \, 3.\, \text{H}^+} o\text{-}\text{HOC}_6\text{H}_4\text{COOH} \quad (\text{Salicylic acid})
6. Reimer-Tiemann Reaction: Phenol treated with CHCl3\text{CHCl}_3 and aq. NaOH\text{NaOH} introduces a CHO-\text{CHO} group at ortho position (salicylaldehyde):
C6H5OH+CHCl3+3NaOH340 Ko-HOC6H4CHO+3NaCl+2H2O\text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{OH} + \text{CHCl}_3 + 3\text{NaOH} \xrightarrow{340\text{ K}} o\text{-}\text{HOC}_6\text{H}_4\text{CHO} + 3\text{NaCl} + 2\text{H}_2\text{O}
7. Williamson Ether Synthesis: Alkyl halide reacted with sodium alkoxide (SN2S_N2 mechanism, works best with primary halides):
R-X+R’-ONa+R-O-R’+NaX\text{R-X} + \text{R'-O}^-\text{Na}^+ \longrightarrow \text{R-O-R'} + \text{NaX}

3. Aldehydes, Ketones & Carboxylic Acids

8. Rosenmund Reduction: Hydrogenation of acyl chlorides over poisoned catalyst Pd/BaSO4\text{Pd/BaSO}_4 poisoned with sulfur/quinoline:
R-COCl+H2Pd/BaSO4R-CHO+HCl\text{R-COCl} + \text{H}_2 \xrightarrow{\text{Pd/BaSO}_4} \text{R-CHO} + \text{HCl}
9. Stephen Reaction: Reduction of nitriles with SnCl2/HCl\text{SnCl}_2/\text{HCl} followed by hydrolysis:
R-CN1.SnCl2+HCl,2.H3O+R-CHO\text{R-CN} \xrightarrow{1.\, \text{SnCl}_2 + \text{HCl}, \, 2.\, \text{H}_3\text{O}^+} \text{R-CHO}
10. Etard Reaction: Oxidation of toluene using chromyl chloride CrO2Cl2\text{CrO}_2\text{Cl}_2 in CS2\text{CS}_2 gives benzaldehyde:
C6H5CH31.CrO2Cl2/CS2,2.H3O+C6H5CHO\text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{CH}_3 \xrightarrow{1.\, \text{CrO}_2\text{Cl}_2 / \text{CS}_2, \, 2.\, \text{H}_3\text{O}^+} \text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{CHO}
11. Clemmensen Reduction: Carbonyl group converted into methylene group using zinc amalgam and concentrated hydrochloric acid:
>C=O+4[H]Zn-Hg/conc. HCl>CH2+H2O>\text{C}=\text{O} + 4[\text{H}] \xrightarrow{\text{Zn-Hg} / \text{conc. HCl}} >\text{CH}_2 + \text{H}_2\text{O}
12. Wolff-Kishner Reduction: Carbonyl treated with hydrazine followed by heating with KOH\text{KOH} in ethylene glycol:
>C=ONH2NH2>C=N-NH2KOH / ethylene glycol, Δ>CH2+N2>\text{C}=\text{O} \xrightarrow{\text{NH}_2\text{NH}_2} >\text{C}=\text{N-NH}_2 \xrightarrow{\text{KOH / ethylene glycol, } \Delta} >\text{CH}_2 + \text{N}_2
13. Aldol Condensation: Aldehydes/ketones having at least one α\alpha-hydrogen treated with dilute alkali:
2CH3CHOdil. NaOHCH3CH(OH)CH2CHOΔCH3CH=CH-CHO2\text{CH}_3\text{CHO} \xrightarrow{\text{dil. NaOH}} \text{CH}_3\text{CH(OH)CH}_2\text{CHO} \xrightarrow{\Delta} \text{CH}_3\text{CH}=\text{CH-CHO}
14. Cannizzaro Reaction: Self-oxidation-reduction of aldehydes lacking α\alpha-hydrogens with concentrated alkali:
2HCHO+conc. KOHCH3OH+HCOOK2\text{HCHO} + \text{conc. KOH} \longrightarrow \text{CH}_3\text{OH} + \text{HCOOK}
15. Hell-Volhard-Zelinsky (HVZ) Reaction: α\alpha-bromination or chlorination of carboxylic acids having α\alpha-hydrogen with X2\text{X}_2 in presence of red phosphorus:
R-CH2COOH1.X2/red P,2.H2OR-CH(X)COOH\text{R-CH}_2\text{COOH} \xrightarrow{1.\, \text{X}_2 / \text{red P}, \, 2.\, \text{H}_2\text{O}} \text{R-CH(X)COOH}

4. Amines & Diazonium Salts

16. Hoffmann Bromamide Degradation: Primary amide treated with bromine and ethanolic NaOH\text{NaOH} yields primary amine with one less carbon:
R-CONH2+Br2+4NaOHR-NH2+Na2CO3+2NaBr+2H2O\text{R-CONH}_2 + \text{Br}_2 + 4\text{NaOH} \longrightarrow \text{R-NH}_2 + \text{Na}_2\text{CO}_3 + 2\text{NaBr} + 2\text{H}_2\text{O}
17. Gabriel Phthalimide Synthesis: Phthalimide with KOH\text{KOH}, then alkyl halide, followed by alkaline hydrolysis gives pure aliphatic primary amine:
PhthalimideKOHPotassium phthalimideR-XN-alkylphthalimideaq. NaOHR-NH2+Phthalate ion\text{Phthalimide} \xrightarrow{\text{KOH}} \text{Potassium phthalimide} \xrightarrow{\text{R-X}} N\text{-alkylphthalimide} \xrightarrow{\text{aq. NaOH}} \text{R-NH}_2 + \text{Phthalate ion}
18. Carbylamine Reaction (Isocyanide Test): Aliphatic or aromatic primary amines heated with chloroform and alcoholic KOH\text{KOH}:
R-NH2+CHCl3+3KOHΔR-NC+3KCl+3H2O(Foul smelling isocyanide)\text{R-NH}_2 + \text{CHCl}_3 + 3\text{KOH} \xrightarrow{\Delta} \text{R-NC} + 3\text{KCl} + 3\text{H}_2\text{O} \quad (\text{Foul smelling isocyanide})

Chemical Distinction Tests Table

Test Name Reagent Used Positive Result / Observation Differentiates
Tollens' Test Ammoniacal AgNO3\text{AgNO}_3 Bright silver mirror forms on test tube wall Aldehydes (+ve) from Ketones (-ve)
Fehling's Test Fehling A (CuSO4\text{CuSO}_4) + Fehling B (Rochelle salt) Reddish-brown precipitate of Cu2O\text{Cu}_2\text{O} Aliphatic aldehydes (+ve) from Aromatic aldehydes (-ve)
Iodoform Test I2+NaOH\text{I}_2 + \text{NaOH} Yellow crystalline precipitate of CHI3\text{CHI}_3 (antiseptic smell) Compounds with CH3C=O\text{CH}_3\text{C}=\text{O} or CH3CH(OH)\text{CH}_3\text{CH(OH)}- groups
Lucas Test Anhydrous ZnCl2\text{ZnCl}_2 + conc. HCl\text{HCl} Turbidity appears: 33^\circ (immediately), 22^\circ (5 mins), 11^\circ (only on heating) 1,2,31^\circ, 2^\circ, 3^\circ Alcohols
Hinsberg's Test C6H5SO2Cl\text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{SO}_2\text{Cl} (Benzenesulfonyl chloride) 11^\circ gives alkali-soluble ppt; 22^\circ gives alkali-insoluble ppt; 33^\circ does not react 1,2,31^\circ, 2^\circ, 3^\circ Amines

Master Organic Chemistry with Step Marking

Upload photos of your handwritten organic conversions and named reaction steps on PrepOne. Our engine detects missing reaction conditions, unlabelled reagents, and incorrect intermediates in 60 seconds.

Download PrepOne on Google Play →
Active Exam Practice

Get Your Handwritten Answers Evaluated by AI

Attempt board questions on paper, upload a photo, and receive 60-second step-marking breakdowns against official CBSE and Bihar Board marking schemes.