The reaction of iodine and base with methyl ketones is so reliable that the " iodoform test " ( the appearance of a yellow precipitate ) is used to probe the presence of a methyl ketone.
2.
In this test, known as Rothera's test, methyl ketones ( CH 3 C ( = O )-) under alkaline conditions give bright red coloration ( see also iodoform test ).
3.
This reaction forms the basis of the iodoform test which was commonly used in history as a chemical test to determine the presence of a methyl ketone, or a secondary alcohol oxidizable to a methyl ketone.
4.
One of the more well-known uses of organoiodine compounds is the so-called iodoform test, where iodoform ( CHI 3 ) is produced by the exhaustive iodination of a methyl ketone ( or another compound capable of being oxidised to a methyl ketone ), as follows: