What occurs during the oxidation of secondary alcohols?

During the oxidation of secondary alcohols, they are converted to ketones. This process occurs because secondary alcohols have the hydroxyl (-OH) group attached to a carbon atom that is connected to two other carbon atoms. When oxidized, the hydrogen atom from the hydroxyl group is removed, along with one of the hydrogen atoms connected to the carbon atom that bears the -OH group. This results in the formation of a carbonyl group (C=O), characteristic of ketones.

Unlike primary alcohols, which can be oxidized to aldehydes and then further to carboxylic acids, secondary alcohols do not undergo this successive oxidation pathway under normal conditions. The reaction is typically facilitated by oxidizing agents, but the resulting product is always a ketone when a secondary alcohol is oxidized. Ketones are stable compounds, and their formation is a well-known reaction in organic chemistry.

Therefore, the conversion of secondary alcohols to ketones is a fundamental reaction that highlights the structural characteristics of secondary alcohols and the nature of oxidation processes.