Answers for Exercise 1

a) An alcohol on oxidation gives an aldehyde.

b) An aldehyde on further oxidation gives a carboxylic acid.

c) An alcohol on strong oxidation can be directly converted to carboxylic acid.

d) An aldehyde can be reduced to primary alcohol.

e) An acid on strong reduction results in primary alcohol.

f) The alcohol on oxidation looses two hydrogen atoms to form an aldehyde. This process therefore can also be termed dehydrogenation.

g) The aldehyde is converted to an alcohol, the change that takes place is simply two hydrogen atoms are added on across the carbonyl group (double bond between C and O atoms). This process can be termed hydrogenation.

h) A primary alcohol on oxidation gives an aldehyde.

i) A secondary alcohol on oxidation gives a ketone.

j) A ketone on reduction gives a secondary alcohol.

k) An aldehyde on reduction gives a primary alcohol.

l) Benzaldehyde can be prepared from benzyl alcohol by oxidation.

m) Ethanol on strong oxidation gives ethanoic acid (acetic acid).

n) Benzyl alcohol on strong oxidation gives benzoic acid.