(8)Carboxylic Acids Flashcards
general formula for carboxylic acids
CₙH₂ₙO₂
.O || R--C--OH
what are carboxylic acids called with C=C bonds
alkenoic acid
physical properties
C₄ to C₈ smells
very strong and unpleasant odours
physical proporties
C to C₃ smells
strong sharp vinegary smells
butanoic smell examples
human sweat, human vomit
physical properties
what state are the lower members of carboxylic acids at in room temp
liquid
bpt
why do carboxylic acids have a higher boiling point than alcohols
enhanced degree of hydrogen bonds
bpt
why are short-chain carboxylic acids miscible in water
polar -OH group allows short chain to form H-bonds with water molecules
preparation
how to prepare carboxylic acid from alcohol
prolonged reflux and distillation
preparation
what oxidising agent is used to oxidise alcohol to cabroxylic acid
acidified potassium dichromate (VI) solution
preparation
colour change in oxidisation
orange -> green
preparation
what factors favour the formation of carboxylic acid and not aldehyde when oxidising alcohol
- carboxylic acid: excess oxidisng agent, reaction is heated under reflux for prolonged time
- aldehyde: mixture is distilled to remove immediately after formation
hydrolysis
why is pure water never used for hydrolysis of esters
it is too slow
hydrolysis
what is used instead of water for hydrolysis of esters
dilute acid; ester is heated under reflux with dilute acid
what is an ester
O
||
. .R–C–O–R’
hydrolysis
why does increasing the amount of water in reaction mixture favour the hydrolysis of ester
if amount of water is increased, equilibrium will shift to right to decrease amount
∴ favours forward reaction (hydrolysising the ester)
hydrolysis
what are the advantages of using dilute alkali and not diltue acid for hydrolysing esters
- reactions are one way
- easier to seperate
hydrolysis using dilute acid
ester + water*
*dilute acid provides water
⇌ carboxylic acid + alcohol
*dilute acid provides water
hydrolysis using dilute alkali
ester + alkali (eg. NaOH)
salt of carboxylic acid (Na attached and not H) + alcohol
hydrolysis
why, in the hydrolysis of esters using dilute alkali, is the salt of the carboxylic acid forming okay
as they are easy separated:
* no ester left
* alcohol can be distilled off
hydrolysis
how would you form straight carboxylic acid from hydrolysis with an acid
use excess of a strong acid to salt formed; reaction is flooded with H+ ions and are picked up by COO- ions to make -COOH
hydrolysis
why does the addition of strong acid favour formation of carboxylic acid from corresponding salt
- acid will readily donate H+
- CH₃COO- is conjugate base of weak acid ∴ will accepy H+ to form carboxylic acid
Bronsted-Lowry theory
hydrolysis
what is a nitrile
-C≡N
hydrolysis
describe steps in hydrolysing of nitriles to carboxylic acids
- formation of amide (CONH₂)
- formation of ammonium salt of carboxylic acid (-COOH and NH₃)
hydrolysis of nitriles w/ water
nitrile + water
amide + ammonium salt
hydrolysis using acid
nitrile + water + acid
carboxylic acid + ammonium salt
hydrolysis
nitrile + water + alkali
salt of carboxylic acid + ammonia gas*
*formed from ammonium ions and hydroxide ions
-COOH as weak acids
why are carboxylics weak acids
they are only partially ionised in aq solution
CH₃COOH (aq) ⇌ CH₃COO⁻ (aq) + H⁺ (aq)
-COOH as weak acids
COOH with metals
metal + acid -> salt + hydrogen (MASH)
* tend to be slower than other acids
-COOH as weak acids (with metals)
eg: magnesium with carboxylic acid
Mg + 2CH₃COOH -> (CH₃COO₂)Mg* + H₂
*magnesium ethanoate: colourless solution
-COOH as weak acids
COOH with carbonates
carbonate + acid -> salt + water + carbon dioxide
-COOH as weak acids (with carbonates)
eg. sodium carbonate with carboxylic acid
Na₂CO₃ + 2CH₃COOH -> 2CH₃COONa* + H₂O + CO₂
* immediate fizzing of reactants
*sodium ethanoate: colourlless solution
-COOH as weak acids
COOH with bases
alkali/base +acid -> salt + water
-COOH as weak acids (with bases)
eg. sodium hydroxide with carboxylic acid
NaOH + CH₃COOH -> CH₃COONa* + H₂O
* temperature will increase
*sodium ethanoate: colourless solution
-COOH as weak acids
-COOH with ammonia
ammonia + acid -> ammonium salt
-COOH as weak acids (with ammonia)
eg. ammonia and carboxylic acid
NH₃ + CH₃COOH -> CH₃COONH₄*
* heat released
*ammonium ethanoate: colourless solution
-COOH as weak acids (with ammonia)
describe the reaction between ammonia and carboxylic acid
- carboxylic acid, hydrogen ion transfers to lone pair on :N in ammonia
- carboxylic acid then has a lone pair and -ve charge on the single bond C-O:
- ammonium is formed with a +ve charge (NH₄⁺)
-COOH as weak acids
describe practical for carboxylic acid with sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide and ammonia.
- place 1cm³ carboxylic acid in boiling tube
- record pH using pH paper
- add spatula measure of Na2CO₃/NaOH/NH₃
- record pH
-COOH reactions
-COOH with alcohols
carboxylic acid + alcohol -> ester + water
COOH reactions
describe what happens when carboxylic acids react with alcohols
- esters are produced
- catalyst usually conc. sulfuric acid
- slow and reversible
COOH reactions
describe the reaction between carboxylic acids and alcohols
- carboxylic acid H is removed
- alcohol OH is removed
- ester formed, water formed from H and OH
- ester: alcohol part becomes -yl group and carboxylic acid becoming the -oate
*condensation reaction
-COOH reactions (carboxylic acid with alcohol)
eg. propanoic acid + ethanol
ethylpropanoate + water
-COOH reactions
carboxylic acid with phosphorus(V) chloride
carboxylic acid + PCl₅ -> acyl chloride + POCl₃* + hydrogen chloride
*phosphorus (V) trichloride oxide
-COOH reactions (PCl₅)
describe what happens during the reaction of PCl₅ and carboxylic acid
- misty acidic fumes of hydrogen chloride
- vigorous
- heat prodcued
-COOH reactions (PCl₅)
how to separate acyl chloride
fractional distillation; test with glass rod dipped in conc. NH₃⁻ -> white fumes
-COOH reactions
carboxylic acid with lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH₄)
carboxylic acid + LiAlH₄ -> 1° alcohol + water
-COOH reactions (LiAlH₄)
describe what happens during the reaction of carboxylic acid and LiAlH₄
- carboxylic acid is reduced to an aldehyde
- aldehyde is further reduced to primary alcohol
- reduction carried under reflux with lithal, LiAlH₄ in dry ether
-COOH reactions
name dibasic and tribasic weak acids used in excess of reagents
- ethanedioic acid (oxalic acid)
- 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid (citric acid)
-COOH reactions
what does excess reagent mean with carboxylic acids
all COOH groups react
-COOH reactions
describe reaction between magnesium carbonate and oxalic acid
two COOH groups + MgCO₃ -> two COO in brackets beside Mg* + CO₂ + H₂O
*magnesium ethanedioate: two COO⁻ cancels charge of Mg²⁺