Final answer:
The oxidizing agent in the DHF to THF reaction is potassium dichromate (Cr2O7²⁻), which gets reduced to chromium(III) ion (Cr³⁻) during the reaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the DHF to THF reaction, the oxidizing agent is potassium dichromate (Cr₂O₇²⁻). This compound accepts electrons and is reduced to chromium(III) ion (Cr³⁻) during the reaction. An oxidizing agent is a substance that promotes oxidation by accepting electrons, causing another substance to be oxidized. In the provided balanced chemical equation, the conversion of dihydrofuran (DHF) to tetrahydrofuran (THF) involves the oxidation of alcohol groups, with potassium dichromate acting as the oxidizing agent leading to the production of the carbonyl-containing compound and the reduction of the chromium species.
Zinc and sulfur are also mentioned as involved in redox reactions, where zinc acts as a reducing agent and sulfur as an oxidizing agent in different contexts.