Question

97. How are the following conversions affected?

(a) ethanol to methanoic acid

Answer 1

• Ethanol $\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{OH}\right)$ is oxidized in the presence of Potassium dichromate $\left({\mathrm{K}}_2{\mathrm{Cr}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_7\right)$ or Potassium permanganate $\left({\mathrm{KMnO}}_4\right)$ to Ethanoic acid $\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\right)$.
• The reaction involved is: $\underset{\mathrm{Ethanol}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{OH}}\stackrel{{\mathrm{K}}_2{\mathrm{Cr}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_7}{\to }\underset{\mathrm{Ethanoic}\mathrm{acid}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}}$
• But Ethanol cannot be converted to Methanoic acid $\left(\mathrm{HCOOH}\right)$.