What happens when a secondary alcohol is oxidized?

When a secondary alcohol is oxidized, it typically forms a ketone. This reaction occurs because the oxidation process involves the removal of hydrogen atoms from the alcohol functional group, leading to the formation of a carbonyl group (C=O). In the case of secondary alcohols, there is at least one carbon atom bonded to the carbon atom that bears the -OH (hydroxyl) group, allowing for the formation of a ketone, which has the carbonyl group bonded to two other carbon atoms.

The structure of a ketone is distinct from aldehydes, which are produced from the oxidation of primary alcohols. Secondary alcohols do not oxidize further to form carboxylic acids under mild conditions, as they are stable to these oxidation processes. Therefore, the product of oxidizing a secondary alcohol is specifically a ketone, highlighting the specific site of oxidation and the stability of secondary alcohol compounds during the reaction.