232sp12-Carbocations-Oxidation+Introduction

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The purpose of this lab is to investigate how alcohols oxidize when mixed with various catalysts. Benzhydrol and benzyl alcohol will be reacted with CrO3 in Amberlite, PDC, and Collins Reagent to produce either an aldehyde, carboxylic acid, or ketone. The products of each reaction will be tested and identified using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), infared spectroscopy (IR), and nuclear spectroscopy (NMR). The results obtained from each portion of the experiment will allow us to compare the effectiveness of each of the catalysts and confirm what we have learned about oxidation reactions involving primary and secondary alcohols.