Question

Question: Predict the major products of the following reactions.

a.

b.

c.

d.,

Short answer

Answer

a.

b.

c,

d.

Step-by-step solution

Organic reactions of aldehyde

Aldehydes can be easily oxidized to carboxylic acid by treating with common oxidants. The example of oxidants are potassium permanganate, chromic acid, sodium hypochlorite, silver oxide and peroxy acids etc.

Major product of the reaction

a. Aldehyde part can be oxidized to its corresponding carboxylic acid in the presence of a mild oxidizing agent like silver oxide (Ag₂O) .

Formation of major product

b. Potassium dichromate (K₂Cr₂O₇) solution acidified with sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) oxidizes aldehyde part to its corresponding carboxylic acid and secondary alcohol is also oxidised to ketone group.

Formation of major product

c. Tollens reagent, Ag(NH₃)₂OH has no effect on simple hydrocarbons, ethers, ketones and alcohols also. In this reaction, tollens reagent oxidizes aldehyde part to its corresponding carboxylic acid and the ketone part remains unreactive.

Formation of major product

d. Potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) under cold and dilute conditions, oxidizes aldehyde part to its corresponding carboxylic acid while the alkene part of the compound gets converted to diols.

Formation of major product