Carboxylic acids Flashcards
Whats the general formula for a carboxylic acid
CnH2nO2
What is the functional group
COOH
How are they named?
either Alkaneoic, Alkeneoic acids
What are some properties of carboxylic acids?
- Sharp, irritating odour
- Short chain carboxylic are liquids and soluble, OH = Hydrogen bonding
- Weak acids, only partially ionised
What are the 3 methods of forming carboxylic acids?
- mild oxidation of primary alcohols and aldehydes
- hydrolysis of esters
- hydrolysis of nitriles
How does the mild oxidation of a primary alcohol work?
Mixture heated under reflux with acidified potassium dichromate (VI) solution
What are esters hydrolysed to?
Esters can be hydrolysed to form the carboxylic acid or its salt and the alcohol from which the ester was formed.
What is acid catalysed hydrolysis of an ester?
It produces the carboxylic acid and the alcohol. Esters should be heated under reflux with dilute HCl
Draw the acid catalysed hydrolysis of methyl propanoate
in book
What is base catalysed hydrolysis of an ester
Produces a salt of the carboxylic acid and an alcohol. The ester should be heated under reflux with NaOH solution
Draw the base catalysed hydrolysis of ethyl methanoate and what is special about it? show the two steps and the overall eqn
in book
It occurs in two steps, the ester is hydrolysed by water in the presence of the alkali, and then the base reacts with the carboxylic acid to form the salt
Step 1:CH3COOCH3 + H2O→CH3COOH + CH3OH
Step 2: CH3COOH + NaOH → CH3COONa + H2O
Overall equation:
CH3COOCH3 + NaOH → CH3COONa + CH3OH
How are nitriles hydrolysed to produce a carboxylic acid
- 1st stage is the hydrolysis of the nitrile to form an amide
- Next, formation of the acid with the removal of ammonia
- Acid hydrolysed - Carboxylic acid and ammonium salt of the acid
- Base catalysed - salt of the carboxylic and ammonia
Show the acid catalysed hydrolysis of Ethanenitrile
in book
Show the base catalysed hydrolysis of Ethannitrile
in book
Draw out the diagram of acid and base catalysed hydrolysis
in book