Activity 4.5

Activity . Take about mL of ethanol in a test tube and warm it gently in a water bath. Add a % solution of alkaline potassium permanganate drop by drop to this solution. Does the colour of potassium permanganate persist when it is added initially? Why does the colour of potassium permanganate not disappear when excess is added? You have learnt about oxidation reactions in the first Chapter. Carbon compounds can be easily oxidised on combustion. In addition to this complete oxidation, we have reactions in which alcohols are converted to carboxylic acids –