Applications of chromic acid-Celite columns to micro- and semimicro preparations of fatty aldehydes.

In a convenient two-phase procedure, columns of Celite 545 charged with aqueous chromic acid are used to oxidize microgram and milligram amounts of fatty alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes with approximately a 70% yield. The original configuration and position of the double bond is fully maintained during the oxidation of unsaturated alcohols.