oxidation of secondary and primary alcohols Flashcards
What catalyst do we use to oxidize a secondary alcohol?
Acidified potassium dichromate
What colour change do we expect when oxidizing a secondary alcohol?
orange to green
What is produced when we oxidize a secondary alcohol?
A ketone and water
Why can we not oxidize ketones further?
During oxidation, we remove a hydrogen atom from the carbon atom bonded to the alcohol group. The ketone has no more hydrogen atoms to lose
How do we oxidize a secondary alcohol?
Heat reactants under reflux to ensure that as much of the ketone is formed as possible
What do we have at the end of oxidation of secondary alcohol?
Ketone and water but also unreacted alcohol and oxidizing agent, we we use distillation to separate our mixture
Why do ketones have a low boiling point?
They cannot form hydrogen bonds so they’re volatile
Why can we not oxidize a tertiary alcohol under normal lab conditions?
The carbon atom bonded to the alcohol group has no hydrogens to lose
