Chemistry 11–12 · Year 12
Oxidising primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols with an acidified oxidant and identifying the products
Module 7: Organic Chemistry
Teacher-led demonstration
A teacher carries out this activity as a demonstration. Its materials, steps, variables, misconceptions and sources are not published on the open web, and neither is any result, control or note that states a number or an amount: tutors and administrators read them on the learning platform, with the safety card first. The idea, the hazards and the curriculum references are below.
Open the procedure on the learning platform (tutor or administrator sign-in)
School laboratory, not for home
In a school laboratory, with a teacher supervising, under the school's risk assessment. Not for home.
The idea
A primary alcohol oxidises to an aldehyde and then a carboxylic acid, a secondary alcohol to a ketone, and a tertiary alcohol not at all, so the oxidant's colour change and the product's tests sort the three classes.
Safety card
Setting: In a school laboratory, with a teacher supervising, under the school's risk assessment. Not for home.
Hazards
- dichromate(VI) is a classified carcinogen, mutagen and reproductive toxin
- permanganate is an oxidiser and stains
- alcohols flammable; ethanal vapour irritant
- Tollens' reagent must not be stored (explosive residues)
Controls
At least one of them states a number or an amount, which may be part of the method, so the controls are shown with the method to tutors and administrators on the learning platform.
Note
It states a number or an amount, which may be part of the method, so it is shown with the method to tutors and administrators on the learning platform.
What you should see
It states a number or an amount, which may be part of the method, so it is shown with the method to tutors and administrators on the learning platform.
Curriculum references
The NSW syllabus outcomes and Australian Curriculum v9 codes this activity supports. They are references, not a verified or complete curriculum alignment.
- Chemistry Stage 6 Syllabus (2017), NESA; the current syllabus, taught in 2026 (codes read from the syllabus document)CH12-14CH11/12-5
- Chemistry Stage 6 Syllabus (2017), NESA; the current syllabus, taught in 2026 (codes read from the syllabus document); the Module 8 knowledge outcome, cited on a Module 7 entry because Module 8 carries the qualitative tests for the functional groups the products are identified byCH12-15
- Chemistry Stage 6 Syllabus (2017), NESA; the current syllabus, taught in 2026 (codes read from the syllabus document); a Working Scientifically outcome not among those the syllabus targets in Module 7, which it allows in any moduleCH11/12-3
- Chemistry 11-12 Syllabus (2025), NESA; implemented from 2028, not yet taughtCH-12-03CH-12WS-03CH-12WS-05
- Australian Curriculum v9No Australian Curriculum v9 code is listed.