17.3.2 - Preparations and reactions of carboxylic acids

Question 1

What are two ways that carboxylic acids can be made by?

Answer 1

Oxidation of primary alcohols
Hydrolysis of nitriles

Question 2

What are the 4 main reactions of carboxylic acids?

Answer 2

Neutralisation
Reduction
Esterification
Halogenation

Question 3

Why can’t carboxylic acids be reduced to aldehydes?

Answer 3

Aldehydes are immediately reduced to primary alcohols.

Question 4

What reducing agent is used for carboxylic acids?

Answer 4

Lithium tetrahydridoaluminate in a solvent of dry ether

Question 5

What other compound is formed when a carboxylic acid is reduced to a primary alcohol?

Answer 5

Water

Question 6

What does the neutralisation of a carboxylic acid produce?

Answer 6

Carboxylate salts and water

Question 7

Is the carboxylate salt formed in the neutralisation of a carboxylic acid ionic or not?

Answer 7

YES

Question 8

What is formed in the halogenation of a carboxylic acid using chloride ions?

Answer 8

An acyl chloride

Question 9

What is the reagent and conditions required for the halogenation of a carboxylic acid?

Answer 9

Phosphorous chloride
anhydrous conditions as acyl chloride and reagent will react with water.

Question 10

What is added to a carboxylic acid to form an ester?

Answer 10

An alcohol and acid catalyst

Question 11

comment of the reactivity of acyl chlorides.

Answer 11

Highly reactive

Question 12

What is the name of the process in which an ester is broken down into a carboxylic acid and an alcohol?

Answer 12

Ester Hydrolysis

Question 13

What happens in ester hydrolysis if it is done in alkali?

Answer 13

A salt of the carboxylic acid and alcohol are formed.
This is saponification

Question 14

What is the main difference when preparing carboxylic acids from nitriles by acid and alkali hydrolysis?

Answer 14

During alkaline hydrolysis, a carboxylate salt is formed whereas no carboxylate is formed during acid hydrolysis