Abstract The oxidation of glycolic, lactic, malic, and a few substituted mandelic acids by tetraethylammonium chlorochromate (TEACC) in dimethylsulfoxide leads to the formation of corresponding oxoacids. The reaction is first order each in TEACC and hydroxy acids. Reaction is failed to induce the polymerization of acrylonitrile. The oxidation of α- deuteriomandelic acid shows the presence of a primary kinetic isotope effect (k H/k D= ...