Carboxylic Acids - Conceptual Questions

1. what are carboxylic acids?
2.. What is the common system of nomenclature of carboxylic acids?
3. What is the IUPAC system of nomenclature of carboxylic acids?
4. What is the IUPAC system of nomenclature of carboxylic acids if more than two acid groups are present?
5. What is the IUPAC system of nomenclature of aromatic carboxylic acids?
6. What is the IUPAC system of nomenclature of dicarboxylic acids?
7. explain the methods of preparation of carboxylic acids.
a. From oxidation of primary alcohols
b. from oxidation of aldehydes and ketones
c. from hydrolysis of nitriles and cyanides
d. from Grignard reagents
e. by hydrolysis of esters
f. carboxylation of alkenes
g. from trihalogen derivatives of hydrocarbons
h. preparation of aromatic acids from alkyl benzenes

8. Explain the physical properties of carboxylic acids.
a. Physical state and smell
b. Boiling points
c. melting point
d. Solubility in water

9. Chemical properties or reactions of carboxylic acids
1. Acidic character
a. How do you express strength of carboxylic acids?
b. what is effect of substituents on strength of carboxylic acids?
i.. of electron releasing substituents, ii. of electron withdrawing sustituents
c. compare relative acidic strength of carboxylic acids and alcohols.
d. compare relative acidic strength of carboxylic acids and phenols
e. What are the reactions that show acidic charater of carboxylic acids?

2. formation of acid chlorides
3. Formation of esters
a. Mechanism of esterification

4. Formation of amides
5.Formation of acid anhydrides
6. Decarboxylation of carboxylic acids
- electrolytic decarboxylation
7. Partial reduction to alcohols
8. Action of bromide on silver salt of the acid – Hunsdiecker reaction
9. Halogenation
10 Ring substitution in aromatic acids – bromination, sulphonation, nitration


10. Describe the following commercially important carboxylic acids
a. formic acid, b. acetic acid, c. benzoic acid

11. How do you distinguish between alcohols, phenols and carboxylic acids?

12. What are acid halides and How do you prepare acyl halides?
a. From carboxylic acids, from salts of carboxylic acids,
13. What are physical properties of acyl chlorides.
14. What are chemical properties of acyl chlorides

15. what are acid anhydrides and how do you prepare them?
a. From carboxylic acids, from salts of carboxylic acid and acyl chloride,
16. What are physical properties of acid anhydrides?
17. What are chemical properties of acid anhydrides?

18. what are esters and how do you prepare them?
19. What are physical properties of esters?
20. What are chemical properties of esters?
a. hydrolysis
b. reaction with ammonia
c. reduction of esters
d. reaction with PCl5.
e. reaction with alcohols
f. reaction with Grignard agents.
g. claisen condensation

21. What are the uses of esters?

22. What acid amides and how do you prepare them?
23. What is IUPAC nomenclature of acid amides?
24. What are physical properties of acid amides?
25. What are chemical properties of acid amides?
26. what are uses acid amides?

27. Describe the following compounds
a. acetyl chloride b. Benzoyl chloride c. acetic anhydride d. ethyl acetate e. formamide f. acetamdie