2.7 Oxidation of Alcohols

Front

What is oxidation in carbon compounds?

Back

Oxidation is an increase in the oxygen to hydrogen ratio.

Front

What is reduction in carbon compounds?

Back

Reduction is a decrease in the oxygen to hydrogen ratio.

Front

What can hot copper(II) oxide or acidified dichromate(VI) solutions oxidize?

Back

They can oxidize primary alcohols to aldehydes and then to carboxylic acids, and secondary alcohols to ketones.

Front

What happens to copper(II) oxide during oxidation reactions?

Back

Black copper(II) oxide forms a brown solid.

Front

What happens to dichromate solution during oxidation reactions?

Back

Orange dichromate solution turns green.

Front

Can tertiary alcohols be oxidized using hot copper(II) oxide or acidified dichromate(VI) solutions?

Back

No, tertiary alcohols cannot be oxidized using these oxidizing agents.

Front

What functional group do aldehydes and ketones contain?

Back

Aldehydes and ketones contain a carbonyl functional group (C=O).

Front

How can aldehydes and ketones be systematically named?

Back

They can be named from structural formulae containing no more than eight carbons in the longest chain.

Front

Can aldehydes be oxidized further?

Back

Yes, aldehydes can be oxidized to carboxylic acids.

Front

Can ketones be oxidized to carboxylic acids?

Back

No, ketones cannot be oxidized to carboxylic acids.