Organic impurities alcohol oxidation

The evidence for the ferryl ion is at present not very conclusive. Kolthoff and Medalia (58) have observed that there is no salt effect on the Fenton oxidation of alcohol and conclude that this argues against the participation of a charged reactant such as ferryl ion with ferrous ion in reaction (1). However, as we have seen for the iodide reaction, such evidence is of doubtful significance unless very low salt concentrations are used. On the other hand, some observations of Barb et al. on the oxidation of organic impurities as well as the above discrepancy in the determination of ki/ki can be interpreted in terms of the ferryl ion. 

The phenomenon of the concurrent action of light and air on organic compounds, leading under certain conditions to the formation of substances that are more powerful oxidants than oxygen itself, has interested chemists for a long time. Peroxidic compounds were obtained from alcohols (48-56) and ethers (57-64) through the action of ultraviolet and/or visible light in the presence of O2. It is certain that for the most part these reactions did not reflect the photochemistry of O2-CT complexes but were sensitized by carbonyl compounds and other impurities. This must be especially true for aqueous and neat alcohols since it was practically impossible at the time to ensure the absence of such impurities. 

Potassium permanganate is utilized as an oxidizing agent in organic synthesis, for the removal of trace impurities (e.g. from lower aliphatic alcohols), for effluent and flue-gas purification, in the production of potable water, for the bleaching of inorganic and organic materials and for the purification of zinc sulfate solutions for zinc electrolysis. 

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