Oxidation of Alcohols

Abstract

Oxidation of ethanol and methanol are known to be feasible reactions. Equilibrium constants calculated show that these reactions are highly irreversible. Theoretically ethanol and methanol oxidations to their respective aldehydes can go to completion. As is common with oxidation reactions, the oxidation of ethanol and methanol to their respective aldehydes are exothermic in nature. However, the exothermicity is moderate compared to the exothermicities encountered in oxidations in general. Even though the combustion reactions are feasible at as low a temperature as room temperature none occurred up to 300°C in the present work. Although oxidation of ethanol and methanol can go to completion theoretically, they do not happen in practice even at 300°C. These considerations give support to the statement that the thermodynamics is concerned about the end conditions of a process and does not tell anything about resistances involved therein.