Uploaded October 2015 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Ethanol is oxidised to ethanoic acid by adding cold acidified potassium manganate (VII).
Cold potassium manganate is a moderately strong oxidising agent, and it is reduced to manganese(IV) oxide, which then reacts with the sulphuric acid in solution to produce a brown solution.
Subsequent heating causes the manganese(IV) oxide to further act as an oxidising agent, reducing it to a solution of colourless manganese(II) ions.
Ethanol is oxidised to ethanoic acid by adding cold acidified potassium manganate (VII).
Cold potassium manganate is a moderately strong oxidising agent, and it is reduced to manganese(IV) oxide, which then reacts with the sulphuric acid in solution to produce a brown solution.
Subsequent heating causes the manganese(IV) oxide to further act as an oxidising agent, reducing it to a solution of colourless manganese(II) ions.
