text: One of the original experiments performed by Winston and Holness was measuring the rate of oxidation in trans and cis substituted rings using a chromium catalyst. The large tert-butyl group used locks the conformation of each molecule, placing it equatorial (cis compound shown).
  It was observed that the cis compound underwent oxidation at a much faster rate than the trans compound.  The proposition was that the large hydroxyl group in the axial position was disfavored and formed the carbonyl more readily to relieve this strain.  The trans compound had rates identical to those found in the monosubstituted cyclohexanol.