Aldehydes and ketones can be formed by oxidising primary and secondary aliphatic alcohol.

In order to produce an aldehyde, primary alcohol is distilled with acid and dichromate(VI), usually aqueous potassium dichromate(VI) and dilute sulfuric acid is used. You can produce carboxylic acid with heating these aldehyde strongly with excess of acidified potassium dichromate(VI). For example:

  • CH₃CH₂OH + [O]→CH₃CHO +  H₂O
  • CH₃CHO + [O]→CH₃COOH

Ketones can be produced by oxidising secondary alcohols using potassim dichromate. However, further oxidation cannot make caroxylic acid. For example:

CH₃CH(OH)CH₃+ [O]→CH₃CO CH₃ + H₂O

 

 Reduction of aldehydes and ketones will produce primary and secondary alcohols. Carboxylic acid can also be reduced to produce an aldehyde.

For this reaction, the organic molecule that you want to reduce is warmed with  sodium tetrahydridoborate (reducing agent) using water or ehanol. For example:

Ethanol is reduced o ethanol:

  • CH₃CHO+ 2[H]→CH₃ CH₂OH

Propanone is reduced to propan-2-ol:

  • CH₃COCH₃+ [H]→CH₃CH(OH) CH₃