6.4 Carboxylic Acid Derivatives

Question 1

What are the important carboxylic acid derivatives to know for MCAT?

Answer 1

acid chlorides
acid anhydrides
esters
amide

Question 2

Rank the carboxylic acid derivatives in order of reactivity.

Answer 2

acyl chloride > anhydride > ester > amide

Question 3

What is an esterification reaction?

Answer 3

when a carboxylic acid reacts with an alcohol in the presence of a catalytic amount of acid

Question 4

What will there always be in a nucleophilic addition-elimination reaction of an acid derivative?

Answer 4

tetrahedral intermediate

Question 5

What is transesterification?

Answer 5

treatment of esters with alcohols in the presence of acid catalysts

Question 6

How are acid halides formed?

Answer 6

corresponding carboxylic acid and either SOCl2 or PX3

Question 7

How are acid anhydrides formed?

Answer 7

condensation of two carboxylic acids with the loss of a water

Question 8

How are esters formed?

Answer 8

synthesized by the corrensponding carboxylic acid and an alcohol

Question 9

How are amides formed?

Answer 9

prepared from corresponding acid halide, anhydride, or ester with the desired amine

Question 10

How is the reactivity of carboxylic acid derivatives determined?

Answer 10

decreases with the increasing basicity of the leaving group