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Simple answer ... you need at least one hydrogen attached to carbinol carbon. in other words, you have a hydrogen on the oxygen to give you the hydroxyl group that is attached to the carbinol carbon, but you also need a hydrogen coming off that carbon. The reason - your reagent, such as chromic acid, joins with the alcohol at the position of the hydroxyl group, which leads to an H2O molecule being shot off. The chromic acid provides the -OH of that water, but takes the H off the hydroxyl group to get the 2nd hydrogen atom. You would now have a chromate ester + water. The water then takes off a hydrogen atom attached to the carbinol carbon, which leaves the electrons to form a double bond with the Oxygen atom. Without the hydrogen attached to the carbinol carbon ... like in a tertiary alcohol ... oxidation could only take place by breaking carbon-carbon bonds, which requires severe conditions. Even if this did happen, you would get a mixture of products.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoTertiary alcohols may undergo dehydration process.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoTertiary alcohols cannot be oxidized because
there are no hydrogen atoms attached to the alcohol carbon
Wiki User
∙ 10y agotertiary alcohols does not have alpha hydrogen's which is involve in the oxidation. In the oxidation of alcohols the hydrogen is responsible for the loos of electrons
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What is the colour of K2Cr2O7 when oxidized or reduced?
Orange ---> Green Primary and secondary alcohols, no reaction with tertiary
What is the product when a tertiary alcohol is oxidized?
well,a tertiary aolcohol means that it has to be bonded to 3 bonds, which means it cant bond with anything else so no oxygen can bond to it
Which alcohol is not oxidized by chromic acid?
A Tertiary alcohol
What kind of alcohols can be used to prepare aldehydes?
All primary (10) alcohols may be oxidized to aldehydes.
What is the importance of Lucas test?
It is used to distinguish between primary,secondary & tertiary alcohols
What is the colour of K2Cr2O7 when oxidized or reduced?
Orange ---> Green Primary and secondary alcohols, no reaction with tertiary
What kinds of alcohols can be used to prepare ketones?
Secondary and tertiary alcohols can form ketones. A primary alcohol will form an aldehyde.
Why does bleach oxidize 2-methylcyclohexanol but not 1-methylcyclohexanol?
Because 2- methylcyclohexanol is a secondary alcohol (2 R- groups) and can be oxidized to a ketone quite easity whereas 1- methylcyclohexanol is a tertiary alcohol (3 R- groups) and is not easily oxidized. Tertiary alcohols in general are very difficult to oxidize.
What is the product when a tertiary alcohol is oxidized?
well,a tertiary aolcohol means that it has to be bonded to 3 bonds, which means it cant bond with anything else so no oxygen can bond to it
Which alcohol is not oxidized by chromic acid?
A Tertiary alcohol
What kind of alcohols can be used to prepare aldehydes?
All primary (10) alcohols may be oxidized to aldehydes.
What is the importance of Lucas test?
It is used to distinguish between primary,secondary & tertiary alcohols
Why tertiary alcohol reacts with metallic sodium less rapidly than primary alcohol?
Tertiary alcohols have a bulky alkyl group bonded to the carbon atom that carries the hydroxyl group. This bulky group hinders the approach of the sodium atom, making the reaction less rapid. In contrast, primary alcohols have a smaller alkyl group and allow for easier access and reaction with metallic sodium.
Why tertiary alcohol is more reactive?
Tertiary alcohols are also bonded to three other carbon atoms (whereas secondary alcohols are bonded to two, primary alcohols to one). These other carbon atoms share their electronegative charges with the middle carbon.
What type of alcohols is fischer esterification limited to?
Primary and secondary alcohols are commonly used in the process and work efficiently with an acid catalyst but tertiary alcohols can also be used in some cases under the right conditions. One the reasons that it is more difficult to use tertiary alcohols is because of the steric hinderance which exists in the molecule so there is too much molecular interaction for a stable compound to form.
What is the relative reactivity of Secondary and tertiary alcohols towards oxidation with potassium permanganate?
primary alcohol reacts the fastest towards oxidation followed by secondary alcohol and tertiary alcohol.
What happens to a tertiary alcohol with lucas reagent?
Tertiary react immediately, secondary takes about 5-10 minutes and primary alcohols do not react under standard conditions
