Ketones can be prepared by the oxidation of which type of alcohol?

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Multiple Choice

Ketones can be prepared by the oxidation of which type of alcohol?

Oxidation state changes at the carbon bearing the hydroxyl group determine the product. When a secondary alcohol is oxidized, that carbon already attached to two carbon substituents loses its C–OH bond and gains a C=O bond, while the two carbon substituents stay attached. The result is a ketone, with the carbonyl carbon bonded to two alkyl groups. Primary alcohols have two hydrogens on the carbon that bears the OH. Oxidizing them first gives an aldehyde (removing one hydrogen), and under stronger conditions can continue to a carboxylic acid, not a ketone. Tertiary alcohols lack a hydrogen on the carbon with the OH, so they don’t readily form a carbonyl under typical oxidation conditions and thus don’t give ketones. So, ketones come from oxidizing secondary alcohols.

Oxidation state changes at the carbon bearing the hydroxyl group determine the product. When a secondary alcohol is oxidized, that carbon already attached to two carbon substituents loses its C–OH bond and gains a C=O bond, while the two carbon substituents stay attached. The result is a ketone, with the carbonyl carbon bonded to two alkyl groups.

Primary alcohols have two hydrogens on the carbon that bears the OH. Oxidizing them first gives an aldehyde (removing one hydrogen), and under stronger conditions can continue to a carboxylic acid, not a ketone. Tertiary alcohols lack a hydrogen on the carbon with the OH, so they don’t readily form a carbonyl under typical oxidation conditions and thus don’t give ketones.

So, ketones come from oxidizing secondary alcohols.

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