MECHANISMS: Oxidation of alcohols + Elimination of alcohols to form alkenes Flashcards
What are the products of the oxidation of alcohols?
primary alcohol: aldehyde then further oxidised to COOH
secondary alcohol: oxidises to ketones and no further
tertiary alcohol: no products
oxidation equation for primary alcohol
oxidation equation for secondary alcohol
When is distillation used?
To produce aldehydes from oxidising primary alcohols. It separates an organic product from its reacting mixture.
In order to maximise yield collected and only collect the distillate at the approximate boiling point of the desired aldehyde and not higher.
When is reflux used?
To produce carboxylic acids from oxidising primary alcohols.
Reflux is used when heating organic reaction mixtures for long periods.
The condenser prevents organic vapours from escaping by condensing them back to liquids
Use chemical tests to distinguish between aldehydes and ketones including Fehling’s solution and Tollens’ reagent.
Tollen’s Reagent: produces a silver mirror when aldehyde is present. Ketone has no reaction
Fehling’s solution: goes blue ppt to red ppt showing aldehyde is present
What is the full oxidation of primary/secondary alcohol observation
the orange dichromate ion (Cr2O7 2-) reduces to the green Cr 3+ ion
Show the acid-catalysed elimination mechanism of alcohols to alkenes.
What can alkenes produced from alcohols be used for?
to produce addition polymers without using monomers derived from crude oil.
