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Consider this positive result from the Lucas test (adding $\ce{ZnCl2/HCl}$ to a tertiary alcohol): enter image description here

My question is quite straightforward but I can't find the answer. What is in the top layer (thin and clear) and what is in the bottom milky layer? Also, what is making it milky?

John Hon
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  • Do you know your $3^\circ$-alcohol? How much of it you used for the test? Do you used any organic solvent to dissolve it? Your answers might be within answers to those questions. – Mathew Mahindaratne Nov 01 '19 at 08:02
  • The solution might be tertiary alkyl chloride. – Nilay Ghosh Nov 01 '19 at 08:54
  • This was not from my experiment - but say 2-methylpropan-2-ol and 3mL? – John Hon Nov 01 '19 at 09:19
  • Your picture is from Wikipedia. Hence, I 'm strongly suspect this as a homework question. – Mathew Mahindaratne Nov 01 '19 at 17:55
  • Yes it is from wikipedia - why does this mean it's a homework question? I am simply curious what is it that is making it white/cloudy. The picture is for illustration purposes. Even if it WAS a homework question - it still asks for conceptual reasoning which is allowed by the site's policy – John Hon Nov 01 '19 at 23:39

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I think the bottom layer is the haloalkane, because we're switching the $\ce{OH}$ group of mass $\pu{17 u}$, with chlorine which is $\pu{35.45 u}$. This makes the chloride more dense than the water, which is also formed in the process

$$\ce{ROH + HCl ->[ZnCl2 catalyst] RCl + H2O}$$

Poutnik
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