3
2
CrO
R H
R
C
OH
CHO

A better  reagent for oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes in
good yield is pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC), a complex of
chromium trioxide with pyridine and HCl 3
2
3
PCC
O
CH
CH
CH
H
CH
CH
O
CH
CH
CH








Secondary alcohols are oxidised to ketones by chromic anhyride
(CrO3) Tertiary alcohols do not undergo oxidation reaction Under strong
reaction conditions such as strong oxidising agents (KMnO4) and
elevated temperatures, cleavage of various C-C bonds takes place
and a mixture of carboxylic
acids containing lesser number
of carbon atoms is formed