What is the result of alcohols reacting with an oxidising agent?

When alcohols react with an oxidising agent, they undergo a chemical transformation in which they are oxidised to form carboxylic acids. This process typically occurs in two stages, depending on the type of alcohol. Primary alcohols first oxidise to form aldehydes, but when the oxidation continues, they can further react to become carboxylic acids. Secondary alcohols, on the other hand, can be oxidised to form ketones, but they do not progress further to carboxylic acids.

This chemical reaction is significant in organic chemistry and is commonly facilitated by reagents like potassium dichromate or sodium dichromate in acidic medium. The production of carboxylic acids from primary alcohols upon prolonged oxidation highlights the ability of oxidising agents to effectively convert the alcohol functional group into a carboxyl functional group.

The other options reflect incorrect outcomes for the reaction of alcohols with oxidising agents; for instance, primary alcohols do not simply remain unchanged, nor are they consistently reduced to aldehydes, as their ultimate oxidation leads to carboxylic acids. Additionally, while some alcohols can yield ketones, this is not universally applicable since primary alcohols do not form ketones through oxidation