Carboxylic Acids

What are they?

• Carbon compounds containing a carboxyl functional group, -COOH
are called “Carboxylic Acids”.
• Contains a CARBONYL attached to a HYDROXYL group and
hence the name.
• They may be ”ALIPHATIC” (RCOOH) or “AROMATIC”
(ArCOOH).
 Nomenclature:-
• The common names ends with suffix – “ ic acid ”.
eg:- HCOOH is Formic Acid

• In the IUPAC system , aliphatic carboxylic acids are named replacing the
ending “ –e “ in the name of the corresponding alkane with “ -oic acid ”.
eg:- HCOOH is also called Methanoic Acid.
Structure:-
• In carboxylic acids, the bonds are separated by about 120°.
• The carboxylic carbon is less electrophillic than carbonyl carbon
because of the possible resonance structure:-
 Methods of preparation:-
1. From primary alcohols and aldehyde

2. From alkylbenzenes
3. From nitriles and amides

4. From Grignard Reagents

5. From acyl halides and anhydrides

6. From Esters
THANK YOU