Organic Chemistry - carboxylic acids Flashcards
dissociation of carboxylic acids
-carboxylic acids = weak acids = partially dissociate to form H+ ions in solution
-smaller carboxylic acids dissolve in water because they can form hydrogen bonds with other molecules of water
COOH –> COO- + H+
-carboxylic acid salts are stabilised by delocalisation
ethanol structural formula
CH3-CH2-OH
test for carboxylic acids
The effervescence caused by production of CO2
with carboxylic acids with solid Na2CO3 or
aqueous NaHCO3 can be used as a functional
group test for carboxylic acids
uses of esters
Esters are sweet smelling
compounds that can be used in
perfumes and flavourings.
For use in perfumes they need to be non toxic, soluble in solvent such as
ethanol, volatile (turns into gas easily), and not react with water.
Esters can be used as solvents
for polar organic substances.
Ethyl ethanoate is used as a
solvent in glues and printing inks.
Although polar, they do not form hydrogen bonds (reason: there is no
hydrogen bonded to a highly electronegative atom).
They have a lower b.p. than the hydrogen-bonded carboxylic acids
They are also almost insoluble in water.
Esters can be used as
plasticisers for polymers.
Often pure polymers have limited flexibility because the polymer chains
cannot move over each other.
Incorporating some plasticiser into the polymer allows the chains to move
more easily and the polymer can become more flexible
hydrolysis of esters
i) with acid
reagents: dilute acid (HCl)
conditions: heat under reflux
ii) with sodium hydroxide
reagents: dilute sodium hydroxide
conditions: heat under reflux
carboxylic acids
-carboxylic acids = weak acids = partially dissociate to form H+ ions in solution
-smaller carboxylic acids dissolve in water because they can form hydrogen bonds with other molecules of water
-carboxylic acid salts are stabilised by delocalisation
acid + base
-acid + base –> salt + water
acid + metal carbonate
-acid + metal carbonate –> salt + CO2 + H2O
acid + metal
-acid + metal –> salt + hydrogen
metal oxide
metal hydroxide
-metal oxide –> metal salt + water
-metal hydroxide- -> metal salt and water
HCL + metal carbonate
HCl + Na2CO3 –> NaCl + CO2 + H2O
ethanoic acid + sodium carbonate
CH3COOH + Na2CO3 –> CH3COONa + CO2 + H2O
Ethanoic acid + sodium carbonate –> sodium ethanoate + carbon dioxide + water
structural formula of a carboxylic acid
Structural formula of a carboxylic acid
e.g propanoic acid = CH3-CH2-COOH
formation
Propanoic acid + sdoium hydroxde –> sodium propanoate + H2O
Carboxylic acids can react in the presence of an acid catalyst to make esters
Carboxylic acids = weak acids
HCl dissociates to H+ and Cl-
Carboxylic acids like ethanoic acid dissociate into ethanoate ions and hydrogen ions
observation when adding sodium hydrocarbonate to ethanoic acid
Observation when adding sodium hydrocarbonate to ethanoic acid:
-effervescence when CO2 gas is evolved
-colourless solution of sodium ethanoate
functional group of carboxylic acids
-carbon is open to attack from nucleophilles
-oxygen from C=O can be attacked by postively paired species
-H+ may be lost as it is behaving like an acid
Carboxylic acid + metal –> salt + hydrogen
Acid plays the role of a catalyst in the hydrolysis of esters
acyl chlorides and anhydrides
-general formula = RCOCl
-all carboxylic acids contain a carbonyl group
-SOCl2 = oxidation state of sulfur = +4
room temp
Oil = liquid at room temperature
Solid at room temperature = fat
acid anhydride
-formation of this is a reversible reaction
-2 molecules of ethanoic acid can be dehydrated to ethanoic anhydride
-general formula = RCOOCOR
-two acyl (carbonyl) groups bonded to the same oxygen atom.
nucelophillic addition-elimination
When 2 pi bonds break and a sigma bond forms this is called an eliminaton reaction
This reacton shown above is a nucelophilic addition-elimination
Butanoyl chloride + propanol –> propyl butanoate + HCl (this reaction must take place in ahydrous conditions)
forming esters equation
Carboxylic acid + alcohol ⇌ ester + water
conditions for esterification
-Esterfication includes a concentrated acid catalyst e.g sulfuric acid
-heat
-little water
O-C=O = ester bond
propanoic acid + methanol
Propanoic acid + methanol ⇌ methylpropanoate + H2O
methanoic acid + propan-2-ol
Methanoic acid + propan-2-ol ⇌ methylethyl ethanoate + waer
acid hydrolysis of esters
-ester + water ⇌ carboxylic acid + alcohol
-reversible reaction
Conditions –> acid catalyst e.g sulfuric acid, heat, excess water, 60 degrees
base hydrolysis of esters
-non-reversible reaction
-ester + KOH -> R=O-C-O-K + alcohol
-e.g ethyl acetate + sodium hydroxide –> sodium acetate + ethanol
uses of esters
-Vegetable oils and animal fats are esters of propane-1,2,3-triol (glycerol).
-Vegetable oils and animal fats can be hydrolysed in alkaline conditions to give soap (salts of long-chain carboxylic acids) and glycerol.
-Biodiesel is a mixture of methyl esters of long-chain carboxylic acids.
-Biodiesel is produced by reacting vegetable oils with methanol in the presence of a catalyst.
types of fats
-saturated fat = only single bonds = high melting point = solid at room temp
-unsaturated fat = double bonds = liquid at room temp due bends/kinks in hydrocarbon chain
-trans fat = hydrogen atoms on opposite sides of double carbon bond = no bending = formed via partial hydrogenation of unsaturated fats
fat molecule
Fat molecule = 1 glycerol molecule and 3 fatty acids
soaps
Soaps = sodium salts formed when triglycerides are hydrolysed using NaOH and heat
-salts dissociates into Na+ and RCOO- in solution. RCOO- molecules have one end which mixes with water and one end that mixes with organic grease. Allows grease + water to mix
Fatty acid + NaOH –> salt + glycerol = base hydrolysis of fats
biodiesel
-renewable as it is made from vegetable oils
-triglycerides are reacted with methanol with NaOH catalyst to form glycerol and methyl esters which can be used as fuel
-this s known as a transesterifcation reaction where the alcohols group swap