Chapter 12 Carboxylic Acids

Introduction
The combination of a carbonyl group and a hydroxyl on the same carbon atom is
called a carboxyl group. Compounds containing the carboxyl group are distinctly
acidic and are called carboxylic acids. The carboxyl group is one of the most widely
occurring functional groups in chemistry and biochemistry. Not only are carboxylic
acids themselves important, but the carboxyl group is the parent group of a large
family of related compounds called carboxylic acid derivatives.

O
C

O
O

carboxyl group

carboxylic acid

COOH

condensed structure

12.1. Classification and Nomenclature of carboxylic acids.

12.1.1 Classification of carboxylic acids.
Carboxylic acids are classified according to the substituent bonded to the carboxyl
group. An aliphatic acid has an alkyl group bonded to the carboxyl group, while an
aromatic acid has an aryl group. The simplest acid is formic acid, with a proton
bonded to the carboxyl group. Fatty acids are long-chain aliphatic acids derived from
the hydrolysis of fats and oils.

12.1.2 Nomenclature of carboxylic acids.

1. Common Names
Several aliphatic carboxylic acids have been known for hundreds of years, and their
common names reflect their historical sources. Formic acid was extracted from ants:
formica in Latin. Acetic acid was isolated from vinegar, called acetum (sour) in
Latin. Propionic acid was considered to be the first fatty acid, and the name is derived
from the Greek protos pion (first fat). Butyric acid results from the oxidation of
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butyl

aldehyde,

which

is

Caproic(CH3(CH2)4COOH),

found

in

butter:

butyrum

caprylic(CH3(CH2)6COOH),

and

in
capric

Latin.
acids

(CH3(CH2)8COOH) are found in the skin secretions of goats: caper in Latin.

In common names, the positions of substituents are named using Greek letters.
Notice that the lettering begins with the carbon atom adjacent to the carboxyl carbon,
the -carbon. With common names, the prefix iso- is sometimes used for acids ending
in the CH(CH3)2 grouping.

Cl

O
C

C C C

CH3 CH C

OH

OH

-chloropropionic acid

NH2

CH3

CH2 CH2

CH2 C

CH3 CH

OH

-aminobutyric acid

O
CH2 C

OH

-methylbutyric acid

2. IUPAC Names:
The IUPAC nomenclature for carboxylic acids are obtained by dropping the final e
of the name of the alkane corresponding to the longest chain in the acid and by adding
oic acid uses the name of the alkane that corresponds to the longest continuous chain
of carbon atoms. The carboxyl carbon atom is assigned number 1. The examples as
follows:

HCOOH
IUPAC name:
Common name:

CH3COOH

methanoic acid

ethanoic acid

formic acid

acetic acid

CH3(CH2)14COOH
IUPAC name:
Common name:

CH3(CH2)10COOH
dodecanoic acid
lauric acid

CH3(CH2)16COOH

hexadecanoic acid

octadecanoic acid

palmitic acid

stearic acid

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CH

CHCOOH
CH3CH2CH2COOH

IUPAC name:

3-phenyl-2-propenoic acid

Common name:

butanoic acid

cinnamic acid

butyric

H3CCHCHCH 2COOH

CH3

H3C CH3
IUPAC name:

CHCOOH

CH3

3, 4-dimethylpentanoic acid

3-methyl-2-butenoic acid

Aromatic acids of the form Ar-COOH are named as derivatives of benzoic acid.

C6H5 COOH p-CH3C6H4CO2H

Benzoic acid
Benzoic acid

p-ClC6H4CO2H

4-methylbenzoec acid

4-chlorobenzoic acid

p-toluic acid

p-chlorobenzoec acid

Nomenclature of Dicarboxylic Acids

A dicarboxylic acid (also called a diacid) is a compound with two carboxyl groups.
The common names of simple dicarboxylic acids are used more frequently than their
systematic names.

12.2 Structure of Carboxyl Group

The structure of the most stable conformation of formic acid is shown below. The
entire molecule is approximately planar. The sp2 hybrid carbonyl carbon atom is
planar, with nearly trigonal bond angles. The O-H bond also lies in this plane, eclipsed
with the C=O bond.

1240
H

1250
0
C 106 H
1110 O

1.23
H

1.32

1.10

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0.97

12.3 Physical Properties and Spectroscopy of Carboxylic Acids

12.3.1 Physical Properties of Carboxylic Acids
1. Boiling Points
Carboxylic acids boil at considerably higher temperatures than do alcohols, ketones,
or aldehydes of similar molecular weights. For example, acetic acid (MW 60) boils at
118, 1-propanol (MW 60) boils at 97, and propionaldehyde (MW 58) boils at
49.

O
CH3 C

O
OH

acetic acid, bp118

CH3 CH2 CH2 OH

1-propanol, bp 97

CH3 CH2 C

propanal, bp 49

The high boiling points of carboxylic acids result from formation of a stable,
hydrogen-bonded dimer contains an eight membered ring joined by two hydrogen
bonds, effectively doubling the molecular weight of the molecules leaving the liquid
phase.

H O

R C

C
O

hydrogen-bonded acid dimer

2. Melting Points
Acids containing more than eight carbon atoms are generally solids, unless they
contain double bonds. The presence of double bonds (especially cis double bonds)in a
long chain impedes formation of a stable crystal lattice, resulting in a lower melting
point. For example, both stearic acid (octadecanoic acid) and linoleic acid
(cis,cis-9,12- octadecadienoic acid) have 18 carbon atoms, but stearic acid melts at
70 and linoleic acid melts at -5.

O
CH3 (CH2)16 C

OH

stearic acid, mp 70
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H
C C
CH3(CH2)4

HH
CH2

H
C C

(CH2)7 C

OH

linoleic acid, mp -5
The melting points of dicarboxylic acids are relatively high. With two carboxyl
groups per molecule, the forces of hydrogen bonding are particularly strong in diacids;
a high temperature is required to break the lattice of hydrogen bonds in the crystal and
melt the diacid.

3. Solubilities
Carboxylic acids form hydrogen bonds with water, and the lower molecular-weight
carboxylic acids (up through four carbon atoms) are miscible with water. As the
length of the hydrocarbon chain increases, water solubility decreases until acids with
more than 10 carbon atoms are essentially insoluble in water.
Carboxylic acids are very soluble in alcohols because acids form hydrogen bonds
with alcohols. Also, alcohols are not as polar as water, so the longer-chain acids are
more soluble in alcohols than they are in water. Most carboxylic acids are quite
soluble in relatively nonpolar solvents such as chloroform because the acid continues
to exist in its dimeric form in the nonpolar solvent. Thus, the hydrogen bonds of the
cyclic dimmer are not disrupted when the acid dissolves in a nonpolar solvent.

12.3.2 Spectroscopy of Carboxylic Acids

1. Infrared Spectroscopy
The most obvious feature in the infrared spectrum of a carboxylic acid is the
intense carbonyl stretching absorption. In a saturated acid, this vibration occurs
around 1710 cm-1, often broadened by hydrogen bonding involving the carbonyl
group. In conjugated acids, the carbonyl stretching frequency is lowered to about
1690 cm-1.

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1710 cm-1

O
R C

1690cm-1

O
C

2500-3500 cm-1

2500-3500cm-1

The OH stretching vibration of a carboxylic acid absorbs in a broad band around

2500-3500 cm-1. This frequency range is lower than the hydroxyl stretching
frequencies of water and alcohols, whose OH groups absorb in a band centered
around 3300cm-1. In the spectrum of a carboxylic acid, the broad hydroxyl band
appears right on top of the CH stretching region. This overlapping of absorptions
give the 3000cm-1 region a characteristic appearance of a broad peak (the OH
stretching) with sharp peaks (CH stretching) superimposed on it.
Notice the shift in the position of the carbonyl absorptions, and notice that the
conjugated, unsaturated acid has a fairly strong C=C stretching absorption around
1630 cm-1, just to the right of the carbonyl absorption.

2. NMR Spectroscopy
Carboxylic acid protons are the most deshielded protons we have encountered,
absorbing between 10 and 13. Depending on the solvent and the concentration, this
acid proton peak may be sharp or broad, but it is always unsplit because of proton
exchanges.

C C O

H
10-13

H
2.0-2.5

The protons on the -carbon atom absorb between 2.0 and 2.5, in about the
same position as the protons on a carbon atom alpha to a ketone or an aldehyde.

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sextet (overlapping quartet of

triplets)
CH2 CH3

O
H O C CH2
11.2
singlet

2.4
triplet

1.0
triplet

1.6

The carbon NMR chemical shifts of carboxylic acids resemble those of ketones and
aldehyde. The carbonyl carbon atom absorbs around 180 ppm, and the -carbon atom
absorbs around 30 to 40 ppm. The chemical shifts of the carbon atoms in hexanoic
acid are the following:

O
HO C CH2 CH2 CH2 CH2 CH3
181 34

25

31

22

14(ppm)

12.4 Chemical Properties of Carboxylic Acids

12.4.1 Acidity of Carboxylic Acids
1. Measurement of Acidity
A carboxylic acid may dissociate in water to give a proton and a carboxylate ion.
The equilibrium constant Ka for this reaction is called the acid-dissociation constant.
The pKa of an acid is the negative logarithm of Ka, and we commonly use pKa as an
indication of the relative acidities of different acids.

O
R C

Ka =

R C

H + H2O

O - + H3O+

RCO2- H3O+
pKa =

RCO2H

log10Ka

Values of pKa are about 5 (Ka=10-5) for simple carboxylic acids. For example,
acetic acid has a pKa of 4.7 (Ka=1.810-5). Although carboxylic acids are not as strong
as most mineral acids, they are still much more acidic than other functional groups we
have studied. For example, alcohols have pKa values in the range 16 to 18. Acetic
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acid (pKa=4.74) is about 1011 times as acidic as the most acidic alcohols! In fact,
concentrated acetic acid causes acid burns when it comes into contact with the skin.
Dissociation of either an acid or an alcohol involves breaking an O-H bond, but
dissociation of a carboxylic acid gives a carboxylate ion with the negative charge
spread out equally over two oxygen atoms, compared with just one oxygen atom in an
alkoxide ion. The delocalized charge makes the carboxylate ion more stable than the
alkoxide ion; therefore, dissociation of a carboxylic acid to a carboxylate ion is less
endothermic than dissociation of an alcohol to an alkoxide ion.
The carboxylate ion can be visualized either as a resonance hybrid or as a
conjugated system of three p orbitals containing four electrons. The carbon atom and
the two oxygen atoms are sp2 hybridized, and each has an unhybridized p orbital.
Overlap of these three p orbitals gives a three-center molecular orbital system.
There is half a bond between the carbon and each oxygen atom, and there is half a
negative charge on each oxygen atom.
Diacid has two dissociation constants: Ka1 is for the first dissociation, and Ka2 is for
the second dissociation, to give a dianion. The second carboxyl group is always less
acidic than the first because extra energy is required to create a second negative
charge close to another, mutually repulsive, negative charge.

2. Substituent Effects on Acidity

A substituent that stabilizes the negatively charged carboxylate ion enhances
dissociation and results in a stronger acid. Electronegative atoms enhance the strength
of an acid in this manner. This inductive effect can be quite large if one or more
strongly electron-withdrawing groups are present on the -carbon atom. For example,
chloroacetic acid (ClCH2COOH) has a pKa of 2.86, indicating that it is stronger acid
than acetic acid (pKa=4.74). Dichloroacetic acid (Cl2CHCOOH) is stronger yet,
with a pKa of 1.26. Trichloroacetic acid (Cl3CCOOH) has a pKa of 0.64,
comparable in strength to some mineral acids.
The magnitude of a substituent effect depends on its distance from the carboxyl
guoup. Substituents on the -carbon atom are most effective in increasing acid
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strength. More distant substituents have samller effets on acidity, showing that
inductive effects decrease rapidly with distance.

electronic effect:
-I effect:

CH2COOH

X=

Cl

Br

pKa

2.66

2.86

2.90

3.18

CHO

NO2

N+(CH3)3

3.53

1.68

1.83

Cl O

CH2 C O H CH2 C O H Cl CH C O H Cl C C O H
Cl

H
acetic

Cl

chloroacetic

pKa=4.74

dichloroacetic

pKa=2.86

Cl

Cl
trichloroacetic (acid)

pKa=1.26

pKa=0.64

Cl

Cl

CH2CH2CH2 C O H CH3CHCH2 C O H CH3CH2CH C O H

4-chlorobutanoic acid
pKa=4.52

3-chlorobutanoic acid

2-chlorobutanoic acid

pKa=4.05

pKa=2.86

+I effect:
HCOOH
3.75

pKa

CH3COOH

(CH3)2CHCOOH

4.76

4.86

5.05

Conjugate effect:
X

COOH
X= OH

pKa

4.57

OCH3
4.47

CH3

Cl

4.38

4.20

3.97

Field effect:
Page

(CH3)3CCOOH

NO2
3.42

Cl

COOH

pKa

6.04

COOH

6.25

Substituted benzoic acids show similar trends in acidity, with electron-withdrawing

groups enhancing the acid strength and electron-donating groups decreasing the acid
strength. These effects are strongest for substituents in the ortho and para positions. In
the examples shown below, notice that a nitro substituent (electron-withdrawing)
increases the strength of the acid, while a methoxyl substituent (electron-donating)
decreases the acid strength. The nitro group has a larger effect in the ortho and para
positions than in the meta position.

COOH

COOH
COOH

COOH

OCH3

NO2

NO2

p-methoxy
pKa=

COOH
NO2

4.46

benzoic acid
4.19

m-nitro

p-nitro

3.47

3.41

o-nitro
2.16

12.4.2 Main Reactions

1. Salts of carboxylic acids
Strong base can completely deprotonate a carboxylic acid. The products are a
carboxylate ion, the cation remaining from the base, and water. The combination of a
carboxylate ion and a cation is a salt of a carboxylic acid.
For example:

O
R

OH + Na+ OH-

O- Na+ + H2O

Salt formation can be used to identify and purify acids. Carboxylic acids are
deprotonated by the weak base sodium bicarbonate, forming the sodium salt of the
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10

acid, carbon dioxide, and water. An unknown compound that is insoluble in water, but
dissolves in a sodium bicarbonate solution with a release of bubbles of carbon dioxide,
is almost certainly a carboxylic acid.

OH + NaHCO3

O- Na+ + H2O + CO2

2. Esterification (Condensation of acids with alcohols)

The Fischer esterification converts carboxylic acids and alcohols directly to esters
by an acidcatalyzed nucleopilic acyl substitution. The net reaction is replacement of
the acid OH group by the OR group of the alcohol.
General Reaction:

R C OH + R' OH

R C O

R' + H2O

Special Examples:

H SO
CH3 C OH + CH3CH2 OH 2 4 CH3 C O

CH3 C OH +

CH3 C OCH2CH2

H+(TsOH)

HOCH2CH2

CH2CH3+ H2O

CH2CH3benzene,Ref(-H2O)

H
CH2CH3

There are two possible ways to form ester:

O
a. R

C O

O
H + H O

R C

R'

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11

OR'+ H2O

O
b. R

O
H + H O

C O

OR'+ H2O

R C

R'

Experiment:
a.isotope label:
O
R

C O

18
H + H O

R C

R'

18
OR'+ H2O

b. rotate label:
O
CH3 C OH + HO

CH3
*C H
(CH2)5CH3

CH3 C

CH3
O

*C H
(CH2)5CH3

When benzoic acid reacts with methanol that has been labeled with 18O, the labeled
oxygen appears in the ester. This result reveals just which bonds break in the
esterfication (a).
The esterfication mechanism is an acid-catalyzed nucleophilic acyl substitution.
The carbonyl group of a carboxylic acid is not sufficiently electrophilic to be attacked
by an alcohol. The acid catalyst protonates the carbonyl group and activates it toward
nucleophilic attack. Loss of a proton gives the hydrate of an ester. Loss of water from
the hydrate of the ester occurs by the same mechanism as loss of water from the
hydrate of a ketone. Protonation of either one of the hydroxyl groups allows it to leave
as water, forming a resonance-stabilized cation. Loss of a proton from the second
hydroxyl group gives the ester.
The mechanism of the esterfication may seem long and complicated at first, but it is
simplified by breaking it down into two stages: (1) acid-catalyzed addition of the
alcohol to the carbonyl and (2) acid-catalyzed dehydration.

(1) Acid-catalyzed addition of the alcohol to the carbonyl.

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12

+O H

O
R C OH

H+

R C OH
+
H O R'

R C OH
R' O H

R C OH
O

R'

+ R'OH2+

R' O H

(2) Acid-catalyzed dehydration.

R C OH
O

R'

R C O+
O

+O

R C

H
R'

H
O

H2O
R'

O
+
R C O R' + H3O

3. Synthesis of Acyl Chlorides

We use PCl5 (an acid chloride of phosphoric acid), PCl3 (an acid chloride of
phosphorous acid), and SOCl2 (an acid chloride of sulfurous acid). All of these
reagents react with carboxylic acids to give acyl chlorides in good yields:

3 R C OH + PCl3
O
R C OH + PCl5
O

3 R C Cl + H3PO3
O
R C Cl + POCl3+ HCl
O

R C OH + SOCl2

R C Cl + SO2 + HCl

The best reagents for converting carboxylic acids to acyl chlorides are thionyl
chloride (SOCl2) and oxalyl chloride (COCl)2 because they form gaseous by-products
that do not contaminate the product. Oxalyl chloride is particularly easy to use
because it boils at 62 and any excess is easily evaporated from the reaction mixture.
The mechanisms of the reaction begin like the reaction of an alcohol with thionyl
chloride. Either oxygen atom of the acid can attack sulfur, replacing chloride by a
mechanism that looks like sulfers version of nucleophilic acyl substitution. The
product is an interesting, reactive chlorosulfite anhydride. This reactive anhydride
undergoes nucleophilic acyl substitution by chloride ion to give the acid chloride.
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13

Cl
+ S

H Cl
_
O+ S O

O
O

Cl

O
C

Cl

H Cl
_
O+ S O

ClH O
O+ S Cl

O
R

Cl

O
C

O
O

O
R

C
Cl-

Cl + HCl

O
O

O
Cl

O
O

Cl

Cl

O
R

Cl + SO2 + Cl-

In particular, acid chlorides (acyl chlorides) are easily made and are commonly
used as an activated form of a carboxylic acid. Both the carbonyl oxygen and the
chlorine atom withdraw electron density from the acyl carbon atom, making it is
strongly electrophilic. Acid chlorides react with a wide range of nucleophiles,
generally through the addition-elimination mechanism of nucleophilic acyl
substitution.

4. Synthesis of Anhydrides
Two carboxylic acid molecules react in the presence of phosphorous pentoxide to
give carboxylic acid anhydrides:

O
2R

C OH

R C O C R + H2O

The best method of preparing acid anhydrides is by a nucleophilic acyl substitution

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14

reaction of an acid chloride with a carboxylic acid anion. Both symmetrical and
unsymmetrical acid anhydrides can be prepared in this way.

+
R C O Na + R' C Cl

R C O C

R' + NaCl

In the reaction a carboxylate anion acts as a nucleophile and brings about a

nucleophilic substitution reaction at the acyl carbon of the acyl chloride.
Cyclic anhydrides can sometimes be prepared simply by heating the appropriate
decarboxylic acid. This method succeeds, however, only when anhydride formation
leads to a five- or six-membered ring:

O
COOH

C
O

+ H2O

COOH

O
5. Synthesis of Acyl Amides
Carboxylic acids react with aqueous ammonia to form ammonium salts:

O
R C O-NH4+

R C OH + NH3

Because of the low reactivity of the carboxylate ion toward nucleophilic

addition-elimination, further reaction does not usually take place in aqueous solution.
However, if we evaporate the water and subsequently heat the dry salt, dehydration
produces an amide:

O
R C O-NH4+

heat

R C NH2 + H2O

6. Decarboxylation of Carboxylic Acids

The reaction whereby a carboxylic aicd loses CO2 is called a decarboxylation:

O
R C OH

decarboxylation R

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15

H + CO2

CH3COONa +NaOH

melt

CH4 + Na2CO3

Although the unusual stability of carbon dioxide means that decarboxylation of

most acids is exothermic, in practice the reaction is not always easy to carry out
because the reaction is very slow. Special groups usually have to be present in the
molecule for decarboxylation to be rapid enough to be synthetically useful.
Acids whose molecules have a carbonyl group one carbon removed from the
carboxylic acid group, called -keto acids, decarboxylate readily when they are heated
to100-150. Some -keto acids even decarboxylate slowly at room temperature.

R C CH3 + CO2

R C CH2 C OH

CH3COOH + CO2

HOOCCH2COOH

Decarboxylation of Carboxyl Radicals

Although the carboxylate ions (RCO2-) of simple aliphatic acids do not
decarboxylate readily, carboxyl radicals (RCO2) do. They decarboxylate by losing
CO2 and producing alkyl radicals:

R + CO2

RCO2

C O C

C O

O
C O

+ CO2

(1) Kolbe electrolysis:

2RCOOK + 2H2O

electrolysis

(2) Hunsdiecker reaction:

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16

R-R + 2CO2 +H2 +2KOH

RCOOAg + Br2

CCl4
heat

RBr + AgBr +CO2

Mechanism:

R C OAg+Br Br

AgBr

R C OBr

R C O +Br

R C O

R +CO2

R+Br

R Br

7. -H Substituent by Halogen
The reaction replaces a hydrogen atom with a bromine atom on the -carbon of a
carboxylic acid. The carboxylic acid in treated with bromine and phosphorous
tribromide, followed by water to hydrolyze the intermediate -bromoacyl bromide.

Br2,P
Br2,P
Br ,P
CH3COOH -HBr CH2BrCOOH-HBr CHBr2COOOH 2 CBr3COOH
-HBr

O
CH2 C OH

R
Br
R

CH C Br
Br

CH C

Br2/PBr3
R

Br + R

Br

CH2 C OH

CH C OH + R

O
CH2 C Br

8. Reduction of Carboxylic Acids

(1). Reduction to alcohols
Lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4or LAH) reduces carboxylic acids to primary
alcohols. The aldehyde is an intermediate in this reduction, but it cannot be isolated
because it is reduced more easily than the original acid.

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17

O
R C OH

(1)LiAlH4
+

(2)H3O

R CH2 OH

Borane also reduces carboxylic acids to primar alcohols. Borne (complex with THF)
reacts with the carboxyl group faster than with any other carbonyl function. It often
gives excellent selectivity, as shown by the following example, where a carboxylic
acid is reduced while a ketone is unaffected.(LiAlH4 would also reduce the ketone.)

CH3 C

C OH

BH3,THF
orB2H6

O
CH3 C

CH2 OH

(2). Reduction to Aldehydes

Reduction of carboxylic acids to aldehydes is difficult because aldehydes are more
reactive than carboxylic acids toward most reducing agents. Almost any reagent that
reduces acids to aldehydes also reduce aldehudes to primary alcohols. What is needed
is a derivative of the acids that is more reative than the aldehyde. As you might guess,
the reactive acid derivative is the acid chloride.
Lithium aluminum tri(t-butoxy), LiAl[OC(CH3)3]3H, is a weaker reducing agent
than lithium hydride. It reduces acid chlorides because they are strongly activated
toward nucleophilic addition of a hydride ion. Under these conditions, the aldehyde
reduces more slowly and is easily isolated.
Example 1:

O- +Li

O
R

Cl + LiAl(O-R)3H

Cl

H
O- +Li
R

Cl

O
R

H + LiCl

H
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18

+ Al(O-R)3

Example 2:

O
CH3 CH C

O
OH SOCl2

CH3

CH3

CH C

Cl

CH3
O

LiAl[OC(CH3)3]3H

CH3 CH C

CH3
Li-methylamine also can reduce carboxylic acids. For example:

Li
RCH
RCOOH
CH3NH2

H+
NCH3
RCHO
H2O

12.5. Preparation of carboxylic acids.

1. Oxidation of alkenes
Alkenes can be oxidized to carboxylic acids with hot alkaline KMnO4:

(1)KMnO4,OHRCH CHR'
RCOOH + R'COOH
heat
(2)H3O+
2. Oxidation of aldehydes and primary alcohols
Aldehydes can be oxidized to carboxylic acids with mild oxidizing agents such as
Ag(NH3)2OH-. Primary alcohols can be oxidized with KMnO4. Aldehydes and
primary alcohols are oxidized to carboxylic acids with chromic acid (H2CrO4) in
aqueous acetone .

(1)Ag2Oor Ag(NH3)2+OHCHO
RCOOH
+
(2)H3O
CH2OH

RCHO

or

(1)KMnO4,OHheat
(2)H3O+
RCH2OH

RCOOH

H2CrO4

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19

RCOOH

3. Oxidation of alkylbenzenes
Primary and secondary alkyl groups ( but not 3o groups) directly attached to a
benzene ring are oxidized by KMnO4 to a COOH group.

(1)KMnO4,OHCH3
heat
(2)H3O+

C OH

4. Oxidation of methyl ketones

Methyl ketones can be converted to carboxylic acids via the haloform reaction.

O
Ar C CH3

(1)X2/NaOH
Ar C OH + CHX3
(2)H3O+

5. Hydrolysis of cyanogen
In the hydrolysis the CN group is converted to a CO2H group.

NaCN

RX

H3O+

RCN

RCOOH

6. Carbonation of Grignard reagents

Grignard reagents react with carbon dioxide to yield magnesium carboxylates.
Acidification produces carboxylic acids:

X + Mg

Et2O

RMgX

CO2

RCO2MgX

H3O+

RCOOH

7. Reppe reaction
RCH CH2 + CO + H2O

Ni(CO)4

R CH
CH3

12.6 Important Carboxylic acids (self-study)

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20

COOH

12.7 Dicarboxylic acids

1. decarboxylation
HOCOCOOH

heat

HOCOCH2COOH

HCOOH + CO2
heat

CH3COOH + CO2

2. Dehydration

O
H2C
H2C

C
C

O
OH

300

H2C
H2C

OH

C
O + H2O
C
O

O
3. Decarboxylation and dehydration

O
CH2 CH2 C
CH2 CH2 C

CH2 C

OH
OH

CH2

CH2 + CO2 + H2O

CH2

O
Some cyclic anhydrides and ketones are made simply by heating the corresponding
diacid. Because five- and six-membered cyclic anhydrides and ketones are
particularly stable.

12.8 Substituted Carboxylic acids

12.8.1. Hydroxyl-acid
1. Prepartation:
(1) Hydrolysis of halocarboxylic acid
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21

RCH2COOH

X2
P

RCHCOOH NaOH
H2O

RCHCOOH
OH

(2) Hydrolysis of cyanohydrins

(3) Reformatsky reaction
O

H(R)

H(R)

R' CHCOOC2H5+Zn+R CH
(R)
X
Mechanism:

R C CHCOOC2H5

H2O

R C CH COOH

OH R'

R'CHCOOC 2H5+Zn

OHR'

R' CH COOC 2H5

ZnX
OZnX
R

R' CH COOC2H5+

H
(R')

ZnX

(R)H

H(R)
R C

CH COOC2H5
R'

H(R)
CHCOOH

R C

CHCOOC 2H5

OH R'

OH R'

(4) Kolbe reaction to synthesis of salicylic acid

ONa

OH

O
Na+

NaOH

O
+C
O

OH
H
C

ONa

COOH

H+

O
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22

H+3O

2. Properties
(1). Dehydration
When heated, -hydroxy-acid can dehydrate to form lactide, - hydroxy-acid can
form ,-unsaturated carboxylic acid, while -hydroxy-acid can form -lactone,
depending on the positions of the hydroxyl group of hydroxyl acid.

O
H

OH
R

CH
C

+
O

CH R

CH

CH

HO

-hydroxy-acid

CH

lactide

heat

CH2 COOH

CH

CH

COOH

OH
- hydroxy-acid

,-unsaturated carboxylic acid

RCHCH2CH2COOH

heat
R

OH
-hydroxy-acid

O
O
-lactone

(2). Oxidation
RCHCOOH

[O]

OH
R

CHCH2COOH

CCOOH

heat

RCOH+CO2

O
[O]

OH

CCH2COOH

O
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23

heat

C CH3

(3). Decomposition

O
dilute H2SO4
R CHCOOH
R

CH + HCOOH

OH
O
R CHCOOH

concentrated H2SO4

R CH + CO2 + H2O

OH

12.9 Theory of Acids and Bases (self-study)

Summary: Reaction of carboxylic acids

General types of reaction:

O
C

O
R

deprotonation

O-

OH

nucleophilic acyl substitution

CH2 OH reduction
R

decarboxylation

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24

1. Salt formation

O
OH + Na+ OH-

O- +Na + H2O + CO2

OH + NaHCO3

O- Na+ + H2O

2. Conversion to acid chloroides

3 R C Cl + H3PO3

3 R C OH + PCl3
O

R C OH + PCl5
O

R C Cl + POCl3+ HCl
O

R C OH + SOCl2

R C Cl + SO2 + HCl

3. Conversion to esters

O
R C OH + R' OH
O

Cl + R' OH

R C O
O

R' + H2O

R' + HCl

4. Conversion to amides

O
C

O
OH + R' NH2

+
O H3N R'

heat

O
C

NH

R'+ H2O

5. Conversion to anhydrides

O
2R

C OH
O

R C O C R + H2O
O
O
R C O C

+
R C O Na + R' C Cl
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25

R' + NaCl

6. Reduction to primary alcohols

O
R C OH

(1)LiAlH4
(2)H3O+

R CH2 OH

CH3 C

C OH

BH3,THF
orB2H6

O
CH3 C

CH2 OH

7. Reduction to aldehydes

O
R

Cl + LiAl(O-R)3H

Li
RCH
RCOOH
CH3NH2

H+
NCH3
RCHO
H2O

8. Side-chain halogenation

O
R

CH2 C OH

Br2/PBr3

Br

CH C OH

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