Oxidation
Propan-1-ol is oxidised to propanoic acid.
- Reagents
- K2Cr2O7 / dilute H2SO4
- Conditions
- Heat under reflux with excess oxidant
- Reaction class
- Oxidation
- Equation
- CH3CH2CH2OH + 2[O] -> CH3CH2COOH + H2O
Overview
Propan-1-ol is oxidised to propanoic acid.
Transformation
- Equation
- CH3CH2CH2OH + 2[O] -> CH3CH2COOH + H2O
- Reagents
- K2Cr2O7 / dilute H2SO4
- Environment
- Heat under reflux with excess oxidant
- Reaction class
- Oxidation
- Mechanism
- alcohol oxidation
- Evidence level
- source-backed molecular example
Scope and limitations
- Scope
- Propan-1-ol; primary alcohol.
- Limitations
- Cr(VI) oxidising reagent.
Related reactions
- Oxidation: Propanal → Propanoic acid
Propanal is oxidised to propanoic acid.
- Partial oxidation: Propan-1-ol → Propanal
Propan-1-ol is oxidised to propanal.
- Reduction: Propanal → Propan-1-ol
Propanal is reduced to propan-1-ol.
- Nitrile hydrolysis: Propanenitrile → Propanoic acid
Acid-assisted water addition converts the nitrile through an amide before hydrolysis gives the acid. The nitrile carbon becomes the carboxyl carbon, while its nitrogen leaves the organic skeleton as ammonium.
References
- Oxidation of alcoholsJim Clark · Chemguide · 2015
Named molecular examples and reaction scope, checked 2026-09-08.