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Properties and reactions of Carboxylic acids. Properties of Carboxylics acids. Carboxylic acids contain a carbonyl group =O and a hydroxyl group –OH Low mass carboxylic acids are oily liquids. They have a strong smell and mix with water
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Properties of Carboxylics acids • Carboxylic acids contain a carbonyl group =O and a hydroxyl group –OH • Low mass carboxylic acids are oily liquids. They have a strong smell and mix with water • High mass carboxylic acids are waxy solids. They do not smell and do not mix with water • Carboxylics acids boil at higher temperatures than alcohols or alkanes with the same number of carbons
Formation of Carboxylic acids • Carboxylic acids are made by the oxidation of primary alcohols. • Oxidation is the addition of an oxygen atom. • To oxidise alcohols Oxidising agents such as acidified potassium dichromate (H+/K2Cr2O7) or acidified potassium permanganate (H+/K2MnO4) can be used. • Some bacteria can oxidise alcohol
Vinegar is ethanoic acid (acetic acid) • It is made by fermenting sugars to make ethanol then a bacteria oxidising the ethanol to ethanoic acid.
Reactions of Carboxylic acids • Carboxylic acids are weak acids. Weak acids dissociate to form H+ ions and anions poorly. • They react with bases, carbonates and reactive metals slowly. The RCOO- ions are named using –anoate ion instead of -anoic acid • Eg. Ethanoic acid dissociates to form CH3COO- and H+ ions
Carboxylic acids react with alcohols to form esters and water