11.1 Preparation of Ethanoic Acid

11.1 Preparation of Ethanoic Acid

1. By the Oxidation of Alcohols

Ethanol is readily oxidized to aldehyde, which further oxidizes to carboxylic acids in the presence of oxidizing agents such as potassium dichromate or potassium permanganate(VII) in an acidic medium. This process is fast but requires strong oxidizing agents.

The oxidizing agent provides nascent oxygen for the oxidation of alcohol. In the first step, oxygen an atom removes two hydrogen atoms from ethanol to form water and ethanol. In the second step, the oxygen atom oxidizes ethanol into ethanoic acid.