Organic reactions: Oxidation
Oxidation reactions involve the process where a substance, for example an alcohol, undergoes a chemical change to form a more oxidised product, such as an aldehyde or carboxylic acid.
To oxidise alcohols, strong oxidising agents such as acidified potassium dichromate or potassium permanganate are commonly used. These reagents help convert primary alcohols into the corresponding carboxylic acids, and their colour changes are often used as indicators of the reaction occuring.
If the aim is to produce an aldehyde, milder conditions are required, such as lower temperatures and shorter reaction times.
Primary alcohol reactions
In the oxidation of primary alcohols, the reaction typically occurs in two stages. First, the alcohol is oxidised to form an aldehyde, and then the aldehyde is further oxidised to produce a carboxylic acid.
The presence of an aldehyde indicates partial oxidation. The presence of a carboxylic acid suggests that the oxidation process is complete.
Example
Secondary alcohol reactions
Secondary alcohols can be oxidised by strong oxidising agents to form ketones.
Example
Tertiary alcohol reaction
Tertiary alcohols are generally unreactive with strong oxidising agents.
This is because the carbon atom attached to the hydroxyl group does not have any C-H bonds that can be broken during oxidation. As a result, oxidation cannot occur in tertiary alcohols.
