What do chromium-containing oxidizing agents convert primary alcohols into?

Chromium-containing oxidizing agents, such as chromic acid or potassium dichromate, effectively oxidize primary alcohols. The oxidation process typically involves the formation of an intermediate aldehyde. However, under strong oxidation conditions provided by these chromium reagents, the aldehyde is further oxidized to yield a carboxylic acid.

This transformation occurs because the chromium oxidizing agents are quite powerful and can facilitate a complete oxidation process, converting both the hydroxyl group of the primary alcohol and the hydrogen atom bonded to the carbon bearing the hydroxyl group into a carboxylic acid functional group.

To summarize, the oxidation of a primary alcohol with chromium-containing agents leads to the eventual formation of a carboxylic acid due to the strong oxidizing capabilities of these reagents, which allow for the complete oxidation of the alcohol intermediate.