Chapter 8 : Carboxylic Acids

Question 1

what are carboxylic acids

Answer 1

contain carbonyl and hydroxyl group connected to the same carbon ; terminal functional group

Question 2

what is the suffix of carboxylic acids

Answer 2

-oic acid ; -oate (salt) ; -dioic acids (two carboxylic acids)

Question 3

what are the physical properties of carboxylic acids

Answer 3

1) polar + hydrogen bonds (high BP)
2) Acidic ; increased by resonance and electron withdrawing groups

Question 4

what is nucleophilic acyl substitution

Answer 4

1) Nu attacks carbonyl carbon forming tetrahedral intermediate
2) LG is kicked off

Question 5

what is formed in nucleophilic acyl substitution if nucleophile is ammonia or amine

Answer 5

amide is formed ; suffix –amide
cyclic amide = lactam

Question 6

what is formed in nucleophilic acyl substitution if nucleophile is an alcohol

Answer 6

ester ; suffix -oate
cyclic esters = lactones

Question 7

what is formed in nucleophilic acyl substitution if nucleophile is another carboxylic acid

Answer 7

anhydride ; suffix –anhydride

Question 8

what CANNOT reduce a carboxylic acid

Answer 8

NaBH4 is not strong enough ; must be reduced by LiAlH4

Question 9

what is soaponification

Answer 9

mixing long chain carboxylic acids with a strong base forms a salt = soap

Question 10

what is soap

Answer 10

salt that contains hydrophilic carboxylic heads and hydrophobic alkyl chains

Question 11

what are micelles

Answer 11

soaps organize in hydrophilic environments to form micelles which dissolves non-polar organic molecules in its interior and can be solvated with water due to it hydrophilic exterior