Oxidation of I with neutral aqueous potassium permanganate gave potassium oxalate, among other products, and an unidentified compound thought to be an aldehyde-or keto- acid. No furoic acid could be detected in the reaction products. Since furfuryl alcohol forms furoic acid upon treatment with permanganate, absence of that acid appears to preclude the possibility of an initial hydrolysis of I to the alcohol and the free acid, followed by a ...
