An alcohol on vigorous oxidation is found to give ethanoic acid and propanoic acid . The alcohol may be

Options

A. 1-pentanol
B. 2-pentanol
C. 1-butanol
D. 2-butanol

Answer

To solve the problem, we need to identify the alcohol that, upon vigorous oxidation, produces ethanoic acid (acetic acid) and propanoic acid (propionic acid).

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Reaction**:
- When an alcohol undergoes vigorous oxidation, it can be oxidized to either an aldehyde or a ketone, and then further oxidized to a carboxylic acid.
- Ethanoic acid (C2H4O2) and propanoic acid (C3H6O2) are the products we need to form from the oxidation of the alcohol.

2. **Analyzing the Options**:
- The options given are:
- A) 1-pentanol
- B) 2-pentanol
- C) 1-butanol
- D) 2-butanol
- We need to determine which of these alcohols can produce both ethanoic and propanoic acid upon oxidation.

3. **Examining Each Alcohol**:
- **1-pentanol (A)**:
- This is a primary alcohol. Upon oxidation, it would first form pentanal (an aldehyde) and then pentanoic acid. This does not match our requirement.
- **2-pentanol (B)**:
- This is a secondary alcohol. Upon oxidation, it would first form a ketone (pentan-2-one), which can then undergo further oxidation to yield ethanoic acid and propanoic acid according to Popov's rule.
- **1-butanol (C)**:
- This is also a primary alcohol. It would oxidize to butanal and then to butanoic acid, which does not match our requirement.
- **2-butanol (D)**:
- This is another secondary alcohol. It would oxidize to butan-2-one, which can further oxidize but would not yield both required acids.

4. **Conclusion**:
- The only alcohol that can produce both ethanoic acid and propanoic acid upon vigorous oxidation is **2-pentanol (B)**.

### Final Answer:
The alcohol that upon vigorous oxidation gives ethanoic acid and propanoic acid is **2-pentanol (B)**.