Question

Glycerol is oxidised by bismuth nitrate to produce:

• A. oxalic acid
• B. mesooxalic acid
• C. glyceric acid
• D. glyoxalic acid

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Glycerol is an trihydric alcohol whose IUPAC name is propane-$1,2,3$ -triol. It gives different oxidation products depending on the nature of oxidizing agent. With bismuth nitrate, it gives mailnly mesooxalic acid $COOH-CO-COOH$
Oxidation with bismuth nitrate-
$(C{H}_{2}OH{)}_{2}CHOH\to (COOH{)}_{2}CO$