BRAINCAKEOxidation of Primary Alcohols to Aldehydes and Carboxylic Acids
A primary alcohol is oxidised by acidified potassium dichromate(VI) in two stages: first to an aldehyde, then to a carboxylic acid. The product you get depends on the conditions.
Making the aldehyde: distil it off as it forms
Use an excess of the alcohol and gently warm it with the oxidising agent. Aldehydes have lower boiling points than their alcohols, because they cannot form hydrogen bonds with each other. The aldehyde vaporises and is distilled off immediately as it forms, before it can be oxidised further.
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Key terms in this lesson
- aldehyde
- An organic compound containing the -CHO functional group at the end of a carbon chain.
- carboxylic acid
- An organic compound containing the -COOH functional group.
More in Alcohols
- Ethanol by Fermentation
- Ethanol by Hydration of Ethene
- Biofuels and Carbon Neutrality
- Oxidation of Alcohols
- Oxidation of Secondary Alcohols
- Distinguishing Aldehydes and Ketones
- Dehydration of Alcohols
- Mechanism of Dehydration
All 13 lessons in Alcohols · All AQA AS-level Chemistry topics