What is kovac reagent?

Kovac's reagent is a reagent used for detecting the presence of indole in a solution. The reagent is made up of p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde and hydrochloric acid. When it comes in contact with indole, it reacts to produce a red color. Indole is a heterocyclic organic compound with a bicyclic structure and is commonly found in proteins and amino acids. The Kovac's reagent is widely used in microbiology to identify bacteria that produce indole as a byproduct of tryptophan metabolism. It is also used in the detection of indole in chemical reactions and in the synthesis of tryptophan-containing compounds.