Organic 18: Carboxylic Acids

Question 1

Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation

Answer 1

pH = pKa + log [conjugate base]/[acid]

Question 2

Field Effect

Answer 2

an electronic effect in a molecule that is transmitted from a substituent to a reaction site via the medium (solvent)

Question 3

Hydrophilic

Answer 3

water-loving; describes COOH groups

Question 4

Lipophilic

Answer 4

fat-loving; describes long hydrocarbon chains

Question 5

Amphiphilic

Answer 5

both hydrophilic and lipophilic groups occur within the same molecule

Question 6

Micelles

Answer 6

colloidal dispersion of aggregates; form spontaneously when the carboxylate concentration exceeds a certain minimum value

Question 7

Critical micelle concentration

Answer 7

concentration above which substances such as salts of fatty acids aggregate to form micelles in aqueous solution

Question 8

Detergents

Answer 8

substances, including soaps, that cleanse by micellar action

Question 9

Tetrahedral intermediate

Answer 9

the key intermediate in nucleophilic acyl substitution; formed by nucleophilic addition to the carbonyl group of a carboxylic acid derivative

Question 10

Lactones

Answer 10

cyclic esters; hydroxy acids (compounds that contain both a hydroxyl and a carboxylic acid function) have the capacity to form these

Question 11

Decarboxylation

Answer 11

loss of a molecule of carbon dioxide from a carboxylic acid