oxidation of alcohols

• overview of oxidation

  
• combustion + oxidation is used for alcohols
• Primary Alcohols

  oxidising agents provide oxygen to other substances, so they are often simplified as [O] in equations

  when you gently heat a primary alcohol with acidified potassium dichromate (VI), the alcohol group loses its hydrogen atom and is partially ionised to an aldehyde

  • aldehyde must be distilled immediately to prevent further reaction
  • if primary is heated stronger under reflux with excess acidified potassium dichromate, then full oxidation occurs to form a carboxylic acid
• Secondary Alcohols

  when you heat a secondary alcohol under reflux it will oxidise to form a ketone using acidified potassium dichromate

  • ketones will not undergo any further reaction