What products do you get if you burn alcohol in excess oxygen?
Carbon dioxide
Water
What happens when you oxidise a primary alcohol?
Primary alcohol → Aldehyde → Carboxylic acid
What happens when you oxidise a secondary alcohol?
Secondary alcohol → Ketones
How do you get an aldehyde from a primary alcohol?
Gently heat excess alcohol with a controlled amount of oxidising agent in distillation apparatus.
This will mean that the aldehyde (which boils at a lower temperature that the alcohol) is distilled off immediately·
How do you get a carboxylic acid from an alcohol?
Vigorously oxidise the alcohol.
The alcohol is mixed with excess oxidising agent and heated under reflux.
How do you get a ketone from a secondary alcohol?
Refluxing a secondary alcohol with acidified dichromate.
What is the only way to oxidise tertiary alcohols?
Burn them
Do tertiary alcohols react with potassium dichromate?
No