ORGANIC CHEMISTRY Chapter 12 Oxidation o Increasing the oxygen content of an organic molecule or decreasing its hydrogen content is an oxidation O R-CH3+R-CH2OH =R-C-H=R-C-OH Lowest Highest oxidation oxidation state state Department of Chemistry, Xiamen UniversityORGANIC CHEMISTRY Department of Chemistry, Xiamen University Chapter 12 Oxidation Increasing the oxygen content of an organic molecule or decreasing its hydrogen content is an oxidation R C OH O C O R CH3 R CH2OH R H [H] [O] [H] [O] [H] [O] Highest oxidation state Lowest oxidation state