Why alkane can't be oxidized with KMnO4 solution?

Alkanes cannot be oxidized by KMnO4 because they lack functional groups that can undergo oxidation reactions. KMnO4 is a strong oxidizing agent that typically reacts with compounds containing double or triple bonds, alcohols, or other oxidizable functional groups. Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons, meaning they only contain single bonds between carbon atoms, making them relatively stable and unreactive towards oxidation. Thus, KMnO4 does not effectively oxidize alkanes under normal conditions.