6.1.3 - Carboxylic Acids And Esters

Question 1

What functional group identifies carboxylic acids?

Answer 1

Carboxylic acids contain the functional group -COOH which includes a carbonyl group (C=O) and an -OH acid group.

Question 2

How are carboxylic acids named?

Answer 2

When naming carboxylic acids the suffix -anoic acid is used. For example a carboxylic acid with 4 carbons is called butanoic acid

Question 3

How are carboxylic acids prepared?

Answer 3

*They can be prepared by the oxidation of primary alcohols under reflux using acidified potassium dichromate(VI) as the oxidising agent
*Hydrolysis of nitrile compounds

Question 4

Why are carboxylic acids soluble in water?

Answer 4

Carboxylic acids can form hydrogen bonds with water making it soluble
## Footnote
Solubility decreases with chain length

Question 5

How does the -COOH functional group affect the melting and boiling points of carboxylic acids?

Answer 5

It enables the carboxylic acids can form to form hydrogen bonds between molecules giving them higher melting and boiling points than alcohols, aldehydes and ketones