Tillmans Reagent, also known as Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, is a chemical solution used to measure the total amount of phenolic compounds in a given sample. The correct pronunciation is /ˈtɪlmənz riːədʒənt/, with stress on the first syllable. The spelling of the word "Tillmans" comes from the name of the chemist who developed the reagent, Jörg Tillmans. The spelling of "Reagent" is based on its root word "Agent" and is pronounced /ˈriːədʒənt/ with stress on the second syllable.
Tillmans Reagent, also known as Fehling's solution or simply Fehling's reagent, is a chemical solution commonly used in analytical chemistry to detect the presence of reducing sugars, such as aldehydes and alpha-hydroxyketones. It was developed by the German chemist Hermann von Fehling in the 19th century.
Tillmans Reagent is typically composed of two separate solutions, referred to as Fehling's A and Fehling's B. Fehling's A is a blue solution made of copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO4·5H2O) dissolved in water. Fehling's B, on the other hand, is a clear alkaline solution containing sodium potassium tartrate and sodium hydroxide.
When these two solutions are mixed together in equal volumes, Tillmans Reagent becomes an orange-red precipitate due to the reduction of copper ions in Fehling's A by the reducing sugar present in the sample being tested. The formation of this precipitate indicates the presence of reducing sugars, confirming the positive test result.
Tillmans Reagent is frequently employed in various laboratory tests, particularly in biochemistry and food science. It is used to complement other qualitative and quantitative analytical methods for sugar analysis, such as Benedict's reagent and the DNS (3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid) method.
It is worth noting that Tillmans Reagent is highly sensitive to reducing sugars, which is why it is commonly used in detecting them. However, it may not be suitable for identifying other types of sugars, such as non-reducing sugars or sugar alcohols, which may require alternative tests or reagents.
The word "Tillmans Reagent" refers to a chemical reagent used in analytical chemistry to detect the presence of organic compounds containing nitrogen. The etymology of this term can be traced back to its developer, the German chemist August Wilhelm von Hofmann.
August Wilhelm von Hofmann had a student named Bernhard Tollens, who conducted research on organic chemistry under his guidance. Tollens developed a reagent that could be used to detect the presence of aldehydes, known as "Tollens' reagent".
Later, another student of Hofmann, called Joseph Tiemann, modified Tollens' reagent to further improve its efficiency. This modified reagent became known as "Tiemann's reagent" and was specifically used to detect sugars.