Isolation and Characterisation of Oxidation Product of Glycollic Acid by Chromic Acid in Tetrahydrofurane and Tertiary Butyl Alcohol Medium

The complexes of composition [Cr 2 (OH) 2 (C 2 O 4 ) 2 (H 2 O) 4 ] and [Cr 2 (OH) 2 (C 2 O 4 ) (CHO.COO)2 (H2O)4] were isolated by oxidation of glycollic acid with chromic acid in aqueous tetrahydrofuran and tertiary butyl alcohol medium using different chromic acid and glycollic acid ratios. The products isolated were characterised from the elemental analysis, magnetic susceptibility and infrared spectral studies. The substrate having higher oxidation states of chromium could not be isolated in solid form.