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Why is it difficult to stop the oxidation of a primary alcohol at the aldehyde stage?
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It is difficult to stop the oxidation of a primary alcohol at the aldehyde stage because aldehydes are highly susceptible to further oxidation. They are converted into carboxylic acids very easily by many oxidizing agentsāin some cases, even by exposure to oxygen in the air.123
Because strong oxidants like chromic acid will continue to oxidize the resulting aldehyde into a carboxylic acid, chemists must use milder, specialized reagents to achieve a selective reaction. One common solution is the use of pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC), which is a milder oxidant capable of stopping the reaction at the aldehyde stage.1