What type of alcohol undergoes oxidation to form a ketone?

Secondary alcohols are the type of alcohols that can be oxidized to form ketones. This process involves the removal of hydrogen from the hydroxyl group and the adjacent carbon, resulting in the formation of a carbonyl group (C=O) while retaining the carbon backbone of the alcohol.

Secondary alcohols have the general structural formula where the carbon attached to the hydroxyl group (–OH) is connected to two other carbon atoms. This configuration allows for the formation of a ketone, as the oxidation process leads to a molecule with a carbonyl group flanked by two carbon atoms.

In contrast, primary alcohols when oxidized typically yield aldehydes, and can further oxidize to carboxylic acids. Tertiary alcohols, on the other hand, do not readily undergo oxidation under typical conditions because they lack a hydrogen atom on the carbon attached to the hydroxyl group. This structural characteristic restricts their ability to form carbonyl compounds like ketones during oxidation. Therefore, the oxidation of a secondary alcohol is a distinct and characteristic reaction leading specifically to the formation of ketones.