Potassium permanganate is a strong oxidising agent. Besides water, what will be produced if potassium permanganate is added to methanol?

When potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) is added to methanol (CH₃OH), it acts as a strong oxidizing agent and can oxidize methanol. The primary products of this reaction are formaldehyde (CH₂O) and manganese dioxide (MnO₂) after the reduction of permanganate ions.

Reaction Overview:

1. Oxidation Reaction: Methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde.
2. Reduction Reaction: Potassium permanganate is reduced, often leading to manganese dioxide (MnO₂) in basic conditions.

Balanced Chemical Equation:

The simplified overall redox reaction can be represented as follows:

$\text{3 CH}_3\text{OH} + \text{2 KMnO}_4 \rightarrow \text{3 CH}_2\text{O} + \text{2 MnO}_2 + \text{2 KOH} + \text{2 H}_2\text{O}$

Summary of Products:

• Formaldehyde (CH₂O): The primary organic product.
• Manganese Dioxide (MnO₂): The inorganic product resulting from the reduction of permanganate.
• Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) and water may also be produced depending on the reaction conditions.

This reaction demonstrates the strong oxidative properties of potassium permanganate and its ability to change the structure of organic compounds like methanol.