Primary Alcohols
Primary alcohols can be oxidized to aldehydes and carboxylic acids. Often it is difficult to stop at the aldehyde oxidation state. One method frequently used to accomplish this, for those that boil below about 100 degrees C, is to remove the product from the reaction mixture as it is formed. This method is based on the fact that aldehydes have a lower boiling point than their corresponding alcohols. Explain this difference in boiling point.