Alcohol oxidation is an important organic reaction. Primary alcohols (R-CH2-OH) can be oxidized either to aldehydes (R-CHO) or to carboxylic acids (R-CO2H), while the oxidation of secondary alcohols (RRCH-OH) normally terminates at the ketone (RRC=O) stage. Tertiary alcohols (RRRC-OH) are resistant to oxidation.