Topic 17

Question 1

What Are the four main reactions with carboxylic acids and what do they produce.

Answer 1

Reduction (produces primary alcohol)
Neutralisation (produces carboxylate salts)
Halogenation (produces acyl chlorides)
Esterification (produces ester)

Question 2

Optical isomerism

Answer 2

Chiral centre- asymmetric carbon atom structures that are chiral are:
An object and its mirror images
Stereoisomers called enzntiokers
Non-superimposable (no matter how you turn them around, they will not be identical)

Question 3

Enantiomers and polarimetry

Answer 3

They rotate the plane of polarisation of plane-polarised light in opposite directions

Polairemtry ,ensures the angle of rotation

Question 4

Racemic mixture

Answer 4

Contains equal amounts of the two enantiomers- it does not rotate the plane of plane-polarised light.