CIL CH Isopropyl Acetone alcohol It is seen that the molecule of acetone contains the same number of carbon atoms as the molecule of iso-propyl alcohol.
3. Tertiary alcohols cannot be transformed by simple oxidation into a compound whose mole cule contains the same number of carbon atoms. In the language of the structural theory, the only atomic group into which the characteristic 00H group of the tertiary alcohols could be converted by simple loss of hydrogen through oxidation, is the group CO. Now, the ('OH group is tri valent. and is, in tertiary alcohols, combined with three radicles; thus, the simplest tertiary al cohol, called tertiary butyl alcohol, is represented by the graphic formula: CIL/ Tertiary butyl alcohol If its COH group were converted into CO, a com pound would be obtained in which carbon would exist in the pcnta-valent form, as shown by the formula: CH, \ CH,—C=0 CH„ / Neither this, nor any other compound containing penta-valent carbon, is known. In reality, when
a tertiary alcohol is oxidized, it breaks up into various compounds, each containing less carbon atoms than the alcohol.
The three sub-classes of alcohols can thus be readily distinguished from one another by their behavior toward oxidizing agents.
Primary alcohols may be transformed into corresponding secondary or tertiary alcohols with the aid of sulphuric acid. As an example may be mentioned the conversion of normal propyl alcohol (primary) into isopropyl alcohol (Aecondary). (1) By the dehydrating action of sulphuric acid on normal propyl alcohol, the hydrocarbon propylene is obtained, according to the following equation: