Question

Which alcohol is difficult to oxidise?

Options

• Methanol

• Butan-1-ol

• Propan-2-ol

• 2-Methylpropan-2-ol

Answer 1

2-Methylpropan-2-ol

Explanation:

It's tough to oxidise tertiary alcohols. When tertiary alcohol is oxidised with powerful oxidising agents at high temperatures, the C-C bonds are broken, resulting in a mixture of carboxylic acids with fewer carbon atoms than the original 3° alcohol.