Aldehydes are easily oxidized to carboxylic acids by various oxidizing agents, including nitric acid, potassium permanganate, Tollens’ reagent, and Fehlings’ reagent. Ketones, on the other hand, undergo carbon-carbon bond cleavage to form a mixture of carboxylic acids under vigorous oxidation conditions.
How do aldehydes and ketones differ in their oxidation reactions, and what products are obtained when aldehydes are oxidized?
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Aldehydes and ketones differ in their oxidation reactions as aldehydes can be further oxidized to carboxylic acids, while ketones resist further oxidation under mild conditions. In the oxidation of aldehydes, using strong oxidizing agents like potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) or dichromate (CrO₃), the carbonyl carbon is oxidized to a carboxyl group. Aldehydes are typically oxidized to carboxylic acids, such as formic acid (HCOOH) or acetic acid (CH₃COOH), depending on the specific aldehyde involved. This transformation involves the addition of oxygen to the carbonyl carbon, breaking the carbon-oxygen double bond and forming a carbon-oxygen single bond in the carboxyl group.