# Organic Chemistry/Carboxylic acids

A carboxylic acid is characterized by the presence of the carboxyl group -COOH. The chemical reactivity of carboxylic acids is dominated by the very positive carbon, and the resonance stabilization that is possible should the group lose a proton. These two factors contribute both to acidity and to the group's dominant chemical reaction: nucleophilic substitution.

# Preparation

1) from alkenes
2) from ROH
Aliphatic carboxylic acids are formed from primary alcohols or aldehydes by reflux with potassium dichromate (VI) acidified with sulphuric acid.
3) from toluene etc.
Alkyl benzenes (methyl benzene, ethyl benzene, etc) react with potassium manganate (VII) to form benzoic acid. All alkyl benzenes give the same product, because all but one alkyl carbon is lost.
No acidification is needed. The reaction is refluxed and generates KOH. The benzoic acid is worked up by adding a proton source (such as HCl).
4) from methyl ketones
5) from Grignard reagents

# Properties
## Nomenclature

The systematic IUPAC nomenclature for carboxylic acids requires the longest carbon chain of the molecule to be identified and the -e of alkane name to be replaced with -oic acid.
The traditional names of many carboxylic acids are still in common use.
Nomenclature of carboxylic acids :
| formula | IUPAC name | traditional name |
| HCOOH | methanoic acid | formic acid |
| CH$_3$-COOH | ethanoic acid | acetic acid |
| CH$_3$CH$_2$-COOH | propanoic acid | propionic acid |
| CH$_2$=CH-COOH | propenoic acid | acrylic acid |
| CF$_3$-COOH | trifluoroethanoic acid | |
The systematic approach for naming dicarboxylic acids (alkanes with carboxylic acids on either end) is the same as for carboxylic acids, except that the suffix is -dioic acid. Common name Nomenclature of dicarboxylic acids is aided by the acronym OMSGAP (Om's Gap), where each letter stands for the first letter of the first seven names for each dicarboxylic acid, starting from the simplest.
Nomenclature of dicarboxylic acids :
| formula | IUPAC name | traditional name |
| HOOCCOOH | Ethanedioic acid | Oxalic acid |
| HOOCCH$_2$-COOH | propanedioic acid | Malonic acid |
| HOOCCH$_2$CH$_2$-COOH | butanedioic acid | Succinic acid |
| HOOCCH$_2$CH$_2$CH$_2$-COOH | pentanedioic acid | Glutaric acid |
| HOOCCH$_2$CH$_2$CH$_2$CH$_2$-COOH | hexanedioic acid | Adipic acid |
| HOOCCH$_2$CH$_2$CH$_2$CH$_2$CH$_2$-COOH | heptanedioic acid | Pimelic acid |

## Acidity

Most carboxylic acids are weak acids. To quantify the acidities we need to know the pKa values: The pH above which the acids start showing mostly acidic behaviour: Ethanoic acid: 4.8 Phenol: 10.0 Ethanol: 15.9 Water: 15.7
Acidity of carboxylic acids in water :
| acid | formula | pK$_a$ |
| methanoic acid | H-COOH | 3.75 |
| ethanoic acid | CH$_3$-COOH | 4.75 |
| propanoic acid | CH$_3$CH$_2$-COOH | 4.87 |
| propenoic acid | CH2=CH-COOH | 4.25 |
| benzoic acid | C$_6$H$_5$-COOH | 4.19 |
| trifluoroethanoic acid | CF$_3$-COOH | 0.3 |
| phenol | C$_6$H$_5$-OH | 10.0 |
| ethanol | CH$_3$CH$_2$-OH | 15.9 |
| water | H$_2$O | 15.7 |
Data from CRC Handbook of Chemistry & Physics, 64th edition, 1984 D-167-8 Except http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifluoroacetic_acid
Clearly, the carboxylic acids are remarkably acidic for organic molecules. Somehow, the release of the H$^+$ ion is favoured by the structure. Two arguments: The O-H bond is polarised by the removal of electrons to the carbonyl oxygen. The ion is stabilised by resonance: the carbonyl oxygen can accept the charge from the other oxygen. The acid strength of carboxylic acid are strongly modulated by the moiety attached to the carboxyl. Electron-donor moiety decrease the acid strength, whereas strong electron-withdrawing groups increase it.

# Reactions
## Acid Chloride Formation

Carboxylic acids are converted to acid chlorides by a range of reagents: SOCl$_2$, PCl$_5$ or PCl$_3$ are the usual reagents. Other products are HCl & SO$_2$, HCl & POCl$_3$ and H$_3$PO$_3$ respectively. The conditions must be dry, as water will hydrolyse the acid chloride in a vigorous reaction. Hydrolysis forms the original carboxylic acid.
CH$_3$COOH + SOCl$_2$ → CH$_3$COCl + HCl + SO$_2$
C$_6$H$_5$COOH + PCl$_5$ → C$_6$H$_5$COCl + HCl + POCl$_3$
3 CH$_3$CH$_2$COOH + PCl$_3$ → 3 CH$_3$CH$_2$COCl + H$_3$PO$_3$

## Esterification

Alcohols will react with acid chlorides or carboxylic acids to form esters. This reaction is catalyzed by acidic or basic conditions. See alcohol notes.
C$_6$H$_5$COCl + CH$_3$CH$_2$OH → C$_6$H$_5$COOCH$_2$CH$_3$ + HCl
With carboxylic acids, the condensation reaction is an unfavourable equilibrium, promoted by using non-aqueous solvent (if any) and a dehydrating agent such as sulfuric acid (non-nucleophilic), catalyzing the reaction).
CH$_3$COOH + CH$_3$CH$_2$CH$_2$OH = CH$_3$COOCH$_2$CH$_2$CH$_3$ + H$_2$O
Reversing the reaction is simply a matter of refluxing the ester with plenty of aqueous acid. This hydrolysis produces the carboxylic acid and the alcohol.
C$_6$H$_5$COOCH$_3$ + H2O → C$_6$H$_5$COOH + CH$_3$OH
Alternatively, the reflux is done with aqueous alkali. The salt of the carboxylic acid is produced. This latter process is called 'saponification' because when fats are hydrolysed in this way, their salts are useful as soap.

## Anhydrides

See acid anhydride.

## Amides

Conceptually, an amide is formed by reacting an acid (an electrophile) with an amine compound (a nucleophile), releasing water.
RCOOH + H$_2$NR' → RCONHR' + H$_2$O
However, the acid-base reaction is much faster, which yields the non-electrophilic carboxylate and the non-nucleophilic ammonium, and no further reaction takes place.
RCOOH + H$_2$NR' → RCOO$^-$ + H$_3$NR'$^+$
To get around this, a variety of coupling reagents have been developed that first react with the acid or carboxylate to form an active acyl compound, which is basic enough to deprotonate an ammonium and electrophilic enough to react with the free base of the amine. A common coupling agent is dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, or DCC, which is very toxic.

## Acid Decarboxylation

On heating with sodalime (NaOH/CaO solid mix) carboxylic acids lose their –COOH group and produce a small alkane plus sodium carbonate:
CH$_3$CH$_2$COOH + 2 NaOH →CH$_3$CH$_3$ + Na$_2$CO$_3$ + H$_2$O
Note how a carbon is lost from the main chain. The product of the reaction may be easier to identify than the original acid, helping us to find the structure.

## Ethanoic anhydride

Industrially, ethanoic anhydride is used as a less costly and reactive alternative to ethanoyl chloride. It forms esters and can be hydrolysed in very similar ways, but yields a second ethanoic acid molecule, not HCl The structure is formed from two ethanoic acid molecules…

## Polyester

Polyester can be made by reacting a diol (ethane-1,2-diol) with a dicarboxylic acids (benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid). n HO-CH$_2$CH$_2$-OH + n HOOC-C$_6$H$_4$-COOH → (-O-CH$_2$CH$_2$-O-OC-C$_6$H$_4$-CO-)n + n H$_2$O Polyester makes reasonable fibres, it is quite inflexible so it does not crease easily; but for clothing it is usually combined with cotton for comfort. The plastic is not light-sensitive, so it is often used for net curtains. Film, bottles and other moulded products are made from polyester.

## Distinguishing carboxylic acids from phenols

Although carboxylic acids are acidic, they can be distinguished from phenol because: Only carboxylic acids will react with carbonates and hydrogencarbonates to form CO2
2 CH$_3$COOH + Na$_2$CO$_3$ → 2 CH$_3$COONa + H$_2$O + CO$_2$
C$_6$H$_5$COOH + NaHCO$_3$ → C$_6$H$_5$COONa + H$_2$O + CO$_2$
Some phenols react with FeCl$_3$ solution, giving a characteristic purple colour.
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