What is Jones oxidation used for?

Jones oxidation refers to a process that utilizes chromium trioxide ((CrO_3)) in an acidic medium, typically sulfuric acid, to oxidize alcohols. This method is particularly effective for converting primary alcohols to carboxylic acids and secondary alcohols to ketones.

When applying Jones oxidation to a primary alcohol, the oxidation process involves the formation of an aldehyde intermediate, which can then be further oxidized to yield a carboxylic acid. This highlights the capability of Jones oxidation to fully oxidize primary alcohols.

For secondary alcohols, the oxidation leads to the formation of a ketone. The process is more selective for secondary alcohols, where the presence of the carbon backbone allows for the formation of a stable ketone.

Thus, considering both of these transformations, the correct answer encompasses the versatility of Jones oxidation in oxidizing primary alcohols to carboxylic acids and secondary alcohols to ketones. This explains why the answer is inclusive of both options A and B.