Question

Ethyl alcohol on oxidation with acidified potassium permanganate results in _______.

Answer 1

Hint: We know that the alcohols can contain more than one hydroxyl \[\left( -OH \right)\] group attached to an Alkane with a single bond. They hold the utmost importance in organic chemistry as they can be converted to different types of compounds, such as Aldehydes and Ketones.

Complete answer:
As we know that the process through which alcohols are converted to either Aldehydes and Ketones, is called oxidation. Oxidizing alcohols to Aldehydes and Ketones is important in modern synthetic chemistry. These reactions are prompted through the presence of best oxidants or catalysts with compounds like Ruthenium. Before proceeding with the oxidation, it is important to have a full understanding of all the mechanisms and inclusive factors.
An oxidizing agent (also called an oxidant) is a reactant that brings about the oxidation of the other reactant in a chemical reaction and itself undergoes reduction. Conversely, a reducing agent is a reactant which brings about the reduction of the other reactant and itself undergoes oxidation. When ethanol is heated with alkaline potassium permanganate then it produces ethanoic acid due to complete oxidation. Here, the pink color of the solution vanishes due to the strong oxidizing agent as potassium permanganate. $C{{H}_{3}}C{{H}_{2}}OH+alk.KMn{{O}_{4}}\to C{{H}_{3}}COOH.$
 During oxidation of ethanol to ethanal, a molecule of hydrogen is removed and a carbon-oxygen single bond is converted to a carbon-oxygen double bond. During this reaction, the hydroxyl group of alcohol is converted to the carbonyl group of aldehydes. The oxidation of ethanol to ethanol in presence of acidified potassium dichromate does not stop at the aldehyde stage. In the further oxidation, ethanal is converted to ethanoic acid. Primary alcohols on oxidation with a strong oxidizing agent like potassium permanganate give carboxylic acid.

Note:
Remember that the nature of the reaction is different in each medium. The oxidizing character of potassium permanganate is indicated by high positive reduction potentials The permanganate ion is responsible for oxidizing character.