3.4.2
Oxidation 1
Oxidation of Alcohols
Oxidation of Alcohols
There are different kinds of alcohols, and as always in chemistry, they all have slightly different reactions.


Oxidation
Oxidation
- Each of the kinds of alcohol can be oxidised to different extents.
- The rule is that you can break carbon-hydrogen bonds, but not a carbon-carbon bond.
- Primary alcohols can be oxidised twice.
- Secondary alcohols can be oxidised once.
- Tertiary alcohols cannot be oxidised.
- The usual oxidising agent, for all, is acidified potassium dichromate(V).


Primary alcohols
Primary alcohols
- Two possible oxidation reactions for primary alcohols:
- They can be oxidised to aldehydes.
- If you change the experimental conditions, you can also oxidise them to carboxylic acids.
,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
Secondary alcohols
Secondary alcohols
- One possible oxidation reaction for secondary alcohols:
- You can oxidise them to a ketone.
- You cannot oxidise it further without breaking carbon-carbon bonds.
- You can oxidise them to a ketone.
,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
Tertiary alcohols
Tertiary alcohols
- You can’t oxidise a tertiary alcohol at all!
- Tertiary alcohols have three carbon groups bonded to the alcohol carbon.
- The only way to add more oxygen involves breaking carbon-carbon bonds.
Ketones and Aldehydes
Ketones and Aldehydes
Ketones and aldehydes are functional groups that can be produced by the oxidation of alcohols.
,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
Ketones
Ketones
- When you oxidise a secondary alcohol, the molecule you get is called a ketone.
- Ketones have a carbon double bonded to an oxygen atom, and two other single carbon-carbon bonds.
- The simplest ketone, propanone (acetone), is shown here.
,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
Naming ketones
Naming ketones
- We use the general name:
- Alkan-X-one:
- Propanone.
- Butanone.
- Pentan-2-one or pentan-3-one.
- Alkan-X-one:
- The numbers are used on longer alkanes to show on which carbon the ketone group lies.
,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
Aldehydes
Aldehydes
- You can oxidise a primary alcohol to an aldehyde.
- An aldehyde has a carbon-oxygen double bond and at least one carbon-hydrogen bond.
- The simplest aldehyde, methanal (formaldehyde), is shown here.
,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
Naming aldehydes
Naming aldehydes
- We use the general name:
- Alkanal:
- Propanal.
- Butanal.
- Pentanal.
- Alkanal:
- Here, there is no need for any numbers as the aldehyde group must lie on one of the end carbons.


Carboxylic acids
Carboxylic acids
- You can oxidise an aldehyde to a carboxylic acid.
- You cannot oxidise a ketone to a carboxylic acid.
- The simplest acid, methanoic acid (formic acid), is shown here.
1Physical Chemistry
1.1Atoms, Molecules & Stoichiometry
1.2Atomic Structure
1.2.1Fundamental Particles
1.2.2Isotopes & Mass Number
1.2.3Electron Shells, Sub-Shells & Orbitals
1.2.4Electron Configuration
1.2.5Ionisation Energy
1.2.6Factors Affecting Ionisation Energies
1.2.7Trends of Ionisation
1.2.8Specific Impacts on Ionisation Energies
1.2.9Electron Affinity
1.2.10End of Topic Test - Atomic Structure
1.2.11A-A* (AO2/3) - Atomic Structure
1.3Chemical Bonding
1.3.1Ionic Bonding
1.3.2Covalent & Dative Bonding
1.3.3Shapes of Molecules
1.3.4Intermolecular Forces
1.3.5Intermolecular Forces 2
1.3.6Electronegativity
1.3.7Bond Length, Bond Energy, & Bond Polarity
1.3.8Metallic Bonding
1.3.9Physical Properties
1.3.10End of Topic Test - Bonding
1.3.11A-A* (AO2/3) - Bonding
1.4States of Matter
1.5Chemical Energetics
1.6Electrochemistry
1.7Equilibria
1.7.1Dynamic Equilibrium & Le Chatelier
1.7.2Kc
1.7.3Kp
1.7.4pH
1.7.5The Ionic Product of Water
1.7.6Weak Acids & Bases
1.7.7Introduction to Solubility Equilibria
1.7.8Solubility Equilibria Calculations
1.7.9Free Energy of Dissolution
1.7.10pH and Solubility
1.7.11Common-Ion Effect
1.7.12End of Topic Test - Kp & Electrochemistry
1.7.13A-A* (AO2/3) - Electrochemical Cells
1.8Partition Coefficient
1.9Reaction Kinetics
1.9.1Collision Theory
1.9.2Orders, Rate Constants & Equations
1.9.3Rate Graphs
1.9.4Rate Determining Step
1.9.5Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution
1.9.6Catalysts
1.9.7Homogeneous Catalysts
1.9.8Heterogeneous Catalysts
1.9.9End of Topic Test - Kinetics
1.9.10End of Topic Test - Rate Equations
1.9.11A-A* (AO2/3) - Rate Equations
2Inorganic Chemistry
2.1The Periodic Table
2.2Group 2
2.3Group 17
2.4Transition Metals
3Organic Chemistry & Analysis
3.1Introduction to Organic Chemistry
3.2Hydrocarbons
3.2.1Fractional Distillation
3.2.2Cracking
3.2.3Combustion
3.2.4Chlorination
3.2.5End of Topic Test - Alkanes
3.2.6Introduction to Alkenes
3.2.7Reactions of Alkenes
3.2.8Polymerisation Reactions
3.2.9End of Topic Test - Alkenes
3.2.10Arenes
3.2.11Evidence for Structure of Arenes
3.2.12Reactions of Benzene
3.2.13End of Topic Test -Arenes
3.3Halogen Derivatives
3.4Hydroxy Compounds
3.5Carbonyl Compounds
3.6Carboxylic Acids & Derivatives
3.7Nitrogen Compounds
3.8Polymerisation
3.9Analytical Techniques
3.9.1Chromatography
3.9.2High-Performance Liquid Chromatography
3.9.3Gas Chromatography
3.9.4IR Spectroscopy
3.9.5Uses of IR Spectroscopy
3.9.6Mass Spectrometry
3.9.7Mass Spectrometry Analysis
3.9.8Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
3.9.9Carbon-13 NMR
3.9.10Proton NMR I
3.9.11Proton NMR II
3.9.12End of Topic Test - Analytical Techniques
3.9.13A-A* (AO2/3) - Analytical Techniques
Jump to other topics
1Physical Chemistry
1.1Atoms, Molecules & Stoichiometry
1.2Atomic Structure
1.2.1Fundamental Particles
1.2.2Isotopes & Mass Number
1.2.3Electron Shells, Sub-Shells & Orbitals
1.2.4Electron Configuration
1.2.5Ionisation Energy
1.2.6Factors Affecting Ionisation Energies
1.2.7Trends of Ionisation
1.2.8Specific Impacts on Ionisation Energies
1.2.9Electron Affinity
1.2.10End of Topic Test - Atomic Structure
1.2.11A-A* (AO2/3) - Atomic Structure
1.3Chemical Bonding
1.3.1Ionic Bonding
1.3.2Covalent & Dative Bonding
1.3.3Shapes of Molecules
1.3.4Intermolecular Forces
1.3.5Intermolecular Forces 2
1.3.6Electronegativity
1.3.7Bond Length, Bond Energy, & Bond Polarity
1.3.8Metallic Bonding
1.3.9Physical Properties
1.3.10End of Topic Test - Bonding
1.3.11A-A* (AO2/3) - Bonding
1.4States of Matter
1.5Chemical Energetics
1.6Electrochemistry
1.7Equilibria
1.7.1Dynamic Equilibrium & Le Chatelier
1.7.2Kc
1.7.3Kp
1.7.4pH
1.7.5The Ionic Product of Water
1.7.6Weak Acids & Bases
1.7.7Introduction to Solubility Equilibria
1.7.8Solubility Equilibria Calculations
1.7.9Free Energy of Dissolution
1.7.10pH and Solubility
1.7.11Common-Ion Effect
1.7.12End of Topic Test - Kp & Electrochemistry
1.7.13A-A* (AO2/3) - Electrochemical Cells
1.8Partition Coefficient
1.9Reaction Kinetics
1.9.1Collision Theory
1.9.2Orders, Rate Constants & Equations
1.9.3Rate Graphs
1.9.4Rate Determining Step
1.9.5Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution
1.9.6Catalysts
1.9.7Homogeneous Catalysts
1.9.8Heterogeneous Catalysts
1.9.9End of Topic Test - Kinetics
1.9.10End of Topic Test - Rate Equations
1.9.11A-A* (AO2/3) - Rate Equations
2Inorganic Chemistry
2.1The Periodic Table
2.2Group 2
2.3Group 17
2.4Transition Metals
3Organic Chemistry & Analysis
3.1Introduction to Organic Chemistry
3.2Hydrocarbons
3.2.1Fractional Distillation
3.2.2Cracking
3.2.3Combustion
3.2.4Chlorination
3.2.5End of Topic Test - Alkanes
3.2.6Introduction to Alkenes
3.2.7Reactions of Alkenes
3.2.8Polymerisation Reactions
3.2.9End of Topic Test - Alkenes
3.2.10Arenes
3.2.11Evidence for Structure of Arenes
3.2.12Reactions of Benzene
3.2.13End of Topic Test -Arenes
3.3Halogen Derivatives
3.4Hydroxy Compounds
3.5Carbonyl Compounds
3.6Carboxylic Acids & Derivatives
3.7Nitrogen Compounds
3.8Polymerisation
3.9Analytical Techniques
3.9.1Chromatography
3.9.2High-Performance Liquid Chromatography
3.9.3Gas Chromatography
3.9.4IR Spectroscopy
3.9.5Uses of IR Spectroscopy
3.9.6Mass Spectrometry
3.9.7Mass Spectrometry Analysis
3.9.8Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
3.9.9Carbon-13 NMR
3.9.10Proton NMR I
3.9.11Proton NMR II
3.9.12End of Topic Test - Analytical Techniques
3.9.13A-A* (AO2/3) - Analytical Techniques
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