What's the mechanism for the oxidation of primary alcohol to carboxylic acid with HNO3?
http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/25511593/oxidation-nitric-acid-aliphatic-alcohols-diols-carboxylic-acids

http://pages.towson.edu/ladon/orgrxs/reagent/oxidizer.htm

It is a dangerous thing to do for the easy detonation of nitrate esters.  Activated and stabilized alcohols, e.g., benzoin to benzil, are reasonable.