The synthesis of cyclohexanone is an example of an oxidation reaction. Oxidation reactions have an increase in oxygen or the C-O bond, and a decrease in hydrogen or the C-H bond. Secondary alcohols normally undergo oxidation reactions to produce ketones. In this experiment, the cyclohexanol will be oxidized to produce cyclohexanone. The exact mechanism of this has not yet been fully established but scientists of today created possible mechanisms that are acceptable. The acetic acid and sodium hypochlorite would be mixed together to give hypochlorous acid, which is the active oxidizing agent. The hypochlorous acid would react with the alcohol in cyclohexanol, yielding a protonated cyclohexanol and a hypochlorite ion. These would react together
