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primary, secondary and tertiary

can someone explain the relationship between primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids.

thanksss x
Reply 1
primary alcohols --> aldehyde --> carboxylic acids

Secondary alcohols --> ketone --> doesn't oxidize any further

Tertiary alcohols, don't oxidize at all
Original post by Fa123123
can someone explain the relationship between primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids.

thanksss x

Primary alcohols oxidise in two different ways to form two different products.
Primary alcohols oxidised under distillation leads to an aldehyde being formed
Primary alcohols oxidised under reflex leads to a carboxylic acid being formed
(An oxidising agent is needed (acidified potassium dichromate) and water is another product made)

Secondary alcohols oxidised under reflux form a ketone
(Excess oxidising agent is needed and water is again another product made)

Tertiary alcohols do not oxidise at all because the hydroxyl group is very stable within the structure

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