Potassium permanaganate and chromic acid can both be used as classification tests for alcohols. methanol and two amino acids are the hydrolysis products of aspartame. why is potassium permanganate a better choice as a classification test reagent than chromic acid to detect the methanol produced by aspartame hydrolysis? select all that apply. chromic acid is too weak of an oxidizing agent to oxidize alcohols. potassium permanganate oxidizes amino acids slower than it oxidizes alcohols. potassium permanganate loses its purple color as it oxidizes alcohols, so the reaction can be followed visually. chromic acid also oxidizes amino acids, and will give a false positive color change. chromic acid doesn't display a color change when it oxidizes alcohols and so cannot be followed visually.