Question detail
Which of the following is a product of oxidizing a secondary alcohol?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
Alcohols
Question
- A. An aldehyde
- B. A ketone
- C. A carboxylic acid
- D. An alcohol
Answer
A ketone
Explanation
Secondary alcohols are oxidized to form ketones. This reaction is important in distinguishing between primary and secondary alcohols.
Common mistake
Oxidation State Confusion
Students often confuse the oxidation states of primary and secondary alcohols, mistakenly thinking they are the same.
To clarify, remember that primary alcohols (like ethanol) have one alkyl group attached to the carbon with the hydroxyl group, while secondary alcohols (like isopropanol) have two alkyl groups attached. This affects their oxidation reactions. For example, the oxidation of ethanol (C2H5OH) to ethanal (C2H4O) involves the loss of two hydrogen atoms, while the oxidation of isopropanol (C3H8O) to acetone (C3H6O) involves the loss of two hydrogen atoms as well, but the structure and the resulting products differ. Always identify the structure first before determining the oxidation process.
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