Carboxylic Acids **

Question 1

carboxylic acids

Answer 1

contains a carbonyl and a hydroxyl group connected to the same carbon. They are always terminal groups. they are indicated with the suffix -oic acid. Salts are named with the suffix -oate, and dicarboxylic acids are -dioc acids

Question 2

physical properties of carboxylic acids

Answer 2

-are polar and hydrogen bond very high. Also exit in dimers in solution. The acidity of a carboxylic acid is enhanced by the resonance between its oxygen atoms.
Acidity can be either enhanced by substituents that are electron-donating. Beta carboxylic acids, like other 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, have an alpha-hydrogen that is also highly acidic.

Question 3

carboxylic acids can be made by the oxidation of

Answer 3

primary alcohols or aldehydes using an oxidizing agent like potassium permanganate (KMnO4), dichromate salts (Na2CrO7 or K2Cr2O7), or chromium trioxide (CrO3)

Question 4

Nucleophilic acyl substitution is a common

Answer 4

reaction in carboxylic acids. Nucleophile attacks the electrophilic carbonyl carbon, opening the carbonyl and forming a tetrahedral intermediate. The carbonyl reforms, kicking off the leaving group. If the nucleophile is ammonia or an amine, an amide is formed. Amides are given the suffix -amide. Cyclic amides are called lactams. If the nucleophile an alcohol, an ester is formed. esters are given the suffix -oate. Cyclic esters are called lactone. If the nucleophile is another carboxylic acid, and anhydride is formed. Both linear and cyclic anhydrides are given the suffix anhydride.

Question 5

carboxylic acids can be reduced to a primary alcohol with

Answer 5

a strong reducing agent like LiAlH4. Aldehyde intermediates are formed, but are also reduced to primary alcohols. NaBh4 is a common educing agent for other organic reactions, but is not strong enough to reduce a carboxylic acid.

Question 6

beta-dicarboxylic acids and other beta-keto acids can undergo spontaneous decarboxylation

Answer 6

when heated, losing a carbon as carbon dioxide. This reaction proceeds via a six-membered cyclic intermediate.

Question 7

Saponification

Answer 7

Mixing long-chain carboxylic acids (fatty acids) with a strong base results in the formation of a salt we call soap.

Question 8

micelles

Answer 8

soaps organize in hydrophilic environments to form micelles. A micelle dissolve nonpolar organic molecules in its interior. and can be solvated with water due to its exterior shell of hydrophilic groups.