Alcohol Oxidation

About Alcohol Oxidation

Alcohol oxidation is an important reaction in organic chemistry that demonstrates the relationship between molecular structure and reactivity. The ability of an alcohol to be oxidized depends on the number of hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon bearing the hydroxyl group.

Classification of alcohols: Primary (1°) alcohols have a -CH₂OH group and can be oxidized to aldehydes then carboxylic acids, Secondary (2°) alcohols have a -CHOH- group and can be oxidized to ketones, while Tertiary (3°) alcohols have a -C(OH)- group and cannot be oxidized under mild conditions. Common oxidizing agents include acidified potassium dichromate (K₂Cr₂O₇/H₂SO₄ with orange to green color change), acidified potassium permanganate (KMnO₄/H₂SO₄ with purple to colorless change), copper(II) oxide (CuO for hot copper wire oxidation test), and PCC or Pyridinium chlorochromate for selective oxidation to aldehydes. Applications include industrial production of aldehydes and ketones, metabolic processes (alcohol dehydrogenase in liver), analytical chemistry for alcohol identification, and synthesis of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. The color change from orange to green serves as a visual indicator for successful oxidation and is used in breath analyzer tests for alcohol detection.