C2H5OH → CH3CHO → CH3COOH Ethanol.....oxidation Ethanal........Ethanoic Acid Primary alcohol oxidises to aldehyde and later to carboxylic acid. Secondary alcohol oxidises to ketones. Ethanol is an example of primary alcohol and primary alcohol can be oxidised to aldehyde and carboxylic acid. Wherein, incomplete oxidation of primary alcohol yields aldehyde also known as alkaline while complete oxidation of primary alcohol yields carboxylic acid.