What product is primarily formed when secondary alcohols are oxidized?

When secondary alcohols undergo oxidation, the primary product formed is ketones. In the oxidation process, the hydroxyl group (-OH) of the secondary alcohol is converted, and a carbon-oxygen double bond (C=O) is created, yielding a ketone.

Secondary alcohols have the general structure R1R2CHOH, where the carbon atom bonded to the hydroxyl group is also connected to two other carbon atoms (R1 and R2). During oxidation, one of the hydrogen atoms from the hydroxyl group and another hydrogen atom from the carbon atom itself are lost, resulting in the formation of a carbonyl group (C=O), characteristic of ketones.

Ketones are distinct in that they cannot be oxidized further to yield carboxylic acids without breaking the carbon skeleton, which typically does not occur under mild oxidation conditions. This differentiates the reaction products of secondary alcohol oxidation from primary alcohols, which can yield aldehydes and subsequently carboxylic acids upon further oxidation.