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Topic: rate of an oxidation reaction on alcohols  (Read 1346 times)

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Offline jacks

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rate of an oxidation reaction on alcohols
« on: March 03, 2019, 01:00:34 PM »
I need to know why a primary alcohol would react quicker than a secondary alcohol. I want to say that it is because the primary alcohol has more hydrogen atoms to give up but I want to make sure that I am not wrong in that assessment. The primary is butanol, and the secondary is 2-propanol if that helps answer my question. Thanks in advance.

Offline chenbeier

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Re: rate of an oxidation reaction on alcohols
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2019, 01:16:10 PM »
Alkyl groups stablelize, so the secundary alcohol react slower. tert. alcoholes very stable no oxidation happen.

Offline jacks

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Re: rate of an oxidation reaction on alcohols
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2019, 02:49:55 PM »
just to make sure I understand. Would it be fair to say that the primary alcohol has more unstable ch bonds to react with when compared to the secondary, and that is why it reacts faster?

Offline chenbeier

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Re: rate of an oxidation reaction on alcohols
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2019, 02:55:58 PM »
Primary alcohol has only one alkyl group so only less I-effect. Stability is more less, oxidation of C-H is more easier.

Offline jacks

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Re: rate of an oxidation reaction on alcohols
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2019, 04:05:34 PM »
So. The greater stability of the secondary alcohol makes it harder to oxidize it? Can you explain how alkyl groups increase stability. Everything I can find online is kind of confusing. Thanks.

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