Carboxylic acids can undergo reduction reactions. Reduction is the opposite of oxidation. For example, ethanoic acid (CH 3 COOH) can be formed by the oxidation of ethanol as shown below.

Overoxidation often occurs with many conventional methods, causing unwanted byproducts such as carboxylic acid and esters to be formed. Traditional alcohol oxidation methods also often require the ...

Oxidation of food Primary alcohol molecules can be oxidised into aldehydes and carboxylic acids while secondary alcohols are oxidised to ketones. Antioxidants are added to food to prevent them ...