Oxidation of other alcohols by chromic acid

The oxidation of several alcohols by chromic acid was studied by Chatterji et a/.20 25 diagnostic tool for identification of intermediates formed, the 

Recently Mosher and Driscoll 2 have noted that the polymerization of acrylonitrile can be observed during the chromic acid oxidation of 2,2-dimethyl-l-phenyl-l-propanol. The polymerization is caused by radicals formed during the oxidation of benzaldehyde (which is one of the cleavage product of phenyl-1-butylcarbinol). The oxidation of benzaldehyde is due to the chromium(IV), most probably, or chromiun(V) intermediates. 

In the oxidation of 2-propanol no polymer could be detected. However, when benzaldehyde was added, polymerization occurred to a considerable extent. These data suggest that the intermediate chromium(rv) or chromium(V) species formed in the oxidation of alcohol was responsible for the radical products and that the benzaldehyde was involved in the initiation. 

4 Oxidation of aldehydes and organic acids by chromium VI) a. Benzaldehyde 

The oxidation of benzaldehyde with chromic acid was investigated by Graham and Westheimer using a spectrophotometric method, and the following rate equation was found 

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