CARBOXYLIC ACIDS

Basic properties
Project by student Ghita Antonia
DEFINITION
Carboxylic acids are organic compounds
containing the functional group carboxyl, -COOH.
Carboxylic acids are commonly identified using their trivial names, and usually
have the suffix -ic acid. IUPAC-recommended names also exist; in this system,
carboxylic acids have an -oic acid suffix.[2] For example, butyric
acid (C3H7CO2H) is butanoic acid by IUPAC guidelines. The -oic
acid nomenclature detail is based on the name of the previously-known
chemical benzoic acid. For nomenclature of complex molecules containing a
carboxylic acid, the carboxyl can be considered position one of the parent
chain even if there are other substituents, for example, 3-chloropropanoic acid.
Alternately, it can be named as a "carboxy" or "carboxylic acid" substituent on
another parent structure, for example, 2-carboxyfuran.
The carboxylate anion (R–COO−) of a carboxylic acid is usually named with the
suffix -ate, in keeping with the general pattern of -ic acid and -ate for
a conjugate acid and its conjugate base, respectively. For example, the
conjugate base of acetic acid is acetate.

NOMENCLATURE
 The obtaining of ethanol by alcoholic fermentation led to the
observation that the process doesn’t stop at the stage of alcohol.
In normal conditions (without adding other substances) and in
contact with the surrounding air, wine continues to ferment and
modifies its properties (taste, smell, acidity). After a time, the
transformation of wine into vinegar is observed.
 The process described above is called acetic fermentation.

ACETIC FERMENTATION
ACETIC ACID
Acetic acid, systematically named ethanoic acid, is a colourless liquid organic compound with
the chemical formula CH3COOH (also written as CH3CO2H or C2H4O2). When undiluted, it is sometimes
called glacial acetic acid. Vinegar is no less than 4% acetic acid by volume, making acetic acid the
main component of vinegar apart from water. Acetic acid has a distinctive sour taste and pungent smell.
In addition to household vinegar, it is mainly produced as a precursor to polyvinyl acetate and cellulose
acetate. It is classified as a weak acid since it only partially dissociates in solution, but concentrated
acetic acid is corrosive and can attack the skin.
Acetic acid is the second simplest carboxylic acid (after formic acid). It consists of a methyl
group attached to a carboxyl group. It is an important chemical reagent and industrial chemical, used
primarily in the production of cellulose acetate for photographic film, polyvinyl acetate for wood glue,
and synthetic fibres and fabrics. In households, diluted acetic acid is often used in descaling agents. In
the food industry, acetic acid is controlled by the food additive code E260 as an acidity regulator and as
a condiment. In biochemistry, the acetyl group, derived from acetic acid, is fundamental to all forms of
life. When bound to coenzyme A, it is central to the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats.
 The properties of carboxylic acids are greatly influenced by those of the
carboxyl functional group.
 It consists of two O atoms: one through a double bond and the other
through a simple bond (as it’s part of the hydroxyl group).
 The electronegativity difference between its atoms determines the group’s
polarity;
 The polarization of the carboxyl group determines the weakening of the O-H
bind in the hydroxyl group, so that the hydrogen can be lost as a proton
(𝐻+ /𝐻3 𝑂+ ) in reactions, thus the name of acids.
The acidity constant of acetic acid has the value: 𝐾𝑎 =1,8∙10−5 𝑚𝑜𝑙∙𝐿−1 . Knowing
the value of the acidity constant allows the appreciation of the acid’s strength
relative to that of other acids to determine, for instance, which roles
(acid/base) will they play in the reaction.

STRUCTURE OF THE CARBOXYLIC

GROUP