What is the main product when an alcohol is oxidized?

What is the main product when an alcohol is oxidized?

Step 1: Understand what an alcohol is. An alcohol is a type of organic compound that contains a hydroxyl group (-OH).
Step 2: Identify the type of alcohol. There are three types: primary, secondary, and tertiary. We focus on primary alcohols for this question.
Step 3: Know what oxidation means. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that involves the loss of electrons or an increase in oxidation state.
Step 4: Recognize what happens during the oxidation of a primary alcohol. When a primary alcohol is oxidized, it loses hydrogen atoms.
Step 5: Identify the product of this oxidation. The oxidation of a primary alcohol results in the formation of an aldehyde first, and with further oxidation, it becomes a carboxylic acid.
Step 6: Conclude that the main product of oxidizing a primary alcohol is a carboxylic acid.

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