Oxidation-Secondary Alcohol

Chemistry diagram

Understanding Oxidation:

Oxidation is a chemical process that involves changes in the O

(oxygen to hydrogen) ratio within a molecule. When it comes to secondary alcohols, such as propan-2-ol, oxidation leads to specific transformations.

Propan-2-ol (C₃H₈O) is a secondary alcohol. When it undergoes oxidation, it experiences a change in its O
ratio.
In this case, propan-2-ol is oxidised to produce propanone (also known as acetone) by removing two hydrogen atoms. This process involves breaking carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds and forming a carbon-oxygen (C=O) double bond:
Equation: CH₃CHOHCH₃ (Propan-2-ol) → CH₃COCH₃ (Propanone) + H₂
The OH ratio changes from 1:8 in propan-2-ol to 1:6 in propanone. This change indicates the oxidation process.
Both examples demonstrate that oxidation leads to an increase in the oxygen-to-hydrogen ratio within the molecule.

It's important to note that tertiary alcohols cannot be readily oxidised. This is because they lack a hydrogen atom directly bonded to the carbon carrying the hydroxyl group.

To facilitate the oxidation of primary or secondary alcohols, an appropriate oxidising agent should be used. Commonly used oxidising agents include:
- Acidified potassium dichromate solution, which changes colour from orange to green during the oxidation process.
- Heated solid copper (II) oxide, which changes from black to brown as it acts as an oxidising agent.

diagram

Secondary alcohols, such as propan-2-ol, can undergo oxidation to produce ketones, like propanone. This process involves the removal of hydrogen atoms and the formation of carbon-oxygen double bonds, leading to a change in the OH ratio.
Tertiary alcohols, on the other hand, do not readily undergo oxidation due to their structural characteristics.
To achieve alcohol oxidation, specific oxidising agents can be employed, such as acidified potassium dichromate solution or heated solid copper (II) oxide, depending on the reaction conditions.