what test I can perform to differ ethanol and n-butanol?

Question

is n-butanol has sweet smell like ethanol does? I'm afraid that somehow it get mixed (ethanol and n-butanol). how can I check whether that n-butanol contaminated with ethanol or not?

Answer 1

You can measure freezing point or boiling point. FYI the iodoform test will work too, but it requires working with nasty junk.

Answer 2

Add iodine and NaOH - the so-called iodoform test. Ethanol gives a pale yellow precipitate, and butan-1-ol doesn't.