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Carbonyls and carboxylic acid derivatives

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Total cards: 16•Content version: v4•Public deck•Updated: 8/1/2026

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#1
Front (Question)

what is the mechanism for the Nucleophilic Addition of Carbonyls with NaBH4/HCN?

Back (Answer)

Nucleophilic attack of NaBH4/HCN on the carbonyl carbon followed by protonation (for HCN) or hydride transfer (for NaBH4).

#2
Front (Question)

Use of 2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH)?

Back (Answer)

-DNPH reacts with Aldehyde/Ketone compounds to form yellow to orange precipitates. - Melting point analysis of the DNPH derivative can identify the specific carbonyl compound.

#3
Front (Question)

Use of Tollens (Ammoniacal Silver Nitrate)?

Back (Answer)

-Detecting the Presence of an Aldehyde: Tollens’ reagent reacts with aldehydes but not with ketones to form a silver mirror.

#4
Front (Question)

Why are carboxylic acids soluble in water?

Back (Answer)

A hydrogen bond forms between the delta minus oxygen of the double bond and the delta positive hydrogen of the water making it soluble in water. Carboxylic acids with up to 4 carbons are water soluble, longer chains are less soluble.

#5
Front (Question)

Are carboxylic acids weak or strong?

Back (Answer)

Weak as they only partially ionise in water to form H+ ions

#6
Front (Question)

What forms in reactions between carboxylic acids and metal acids/alkalis?

Back (Answer)

Carboxylate salt and water

#7
Front (Question)

What forms in reactions between carboxylic acids and metals?

Back (Answer)

Carboxylate salt and H2

#8
Front (Question)

What forms in reactions between carboxylic acids and carbonates?

Back (Answer)

Co2, Water and a carboxylate salt. if carboxylic acid is in excess a solid carbonate would disappear

#9
Front (Question)

How to test for a carboxylic acid?

Back (Answer)

Add carbonates as carboxylic acids are the only organic compound acidic enough to react with them to effervesce Phenols wont react so differentiates them from them

#10
Front (Question)

What is an acid anhydride?

Back (Answer)

Compound formed from 2 carboxylic acids reacting, releasing water. Removes the -OH group from both and binds at this point to form an ester bond with an =O on each adjacent carbon.

#11
Front (Question)

How to name acyl chlorides?

Back (Answer)

Take the parent carboxylic acid name, remove the ‘-oic acid’ and add ‘-oyl chloride’

#12
Front (Question)

Describe acid hydrolysis of an ester?

Back (Answer)

Heat the ester under reflux with a dilute aqueous acid, the ester is broken down by the water with the acid acting as a catalyst to form a carboxylic acid and an alcohol.

#13
Front (Question)

Describe alkaline hydrolysis of an ester

Back (Answer)

Forms a carboxylate salt and an alcohol Irreversible Heat under reflux with aqueous hydroxide ions

#14
Front (Question)

How to make acyl chlorides?

Back (Answer)

React the parent carboxylic acid with thionyl chloride (SOCl2). Forms the acyl chloride, SO2 and HCL Done in a fume cupboard as the products are toxic

#15
Front (Question)

Reaction uses of acyl chlorides

Back (Answer)

Very reactive Easily converted into carboxylic acid derivatives, eg esters/amides, with good yields React with nucleophiles by losing the chloride ion while retaining the C=O bond

#16
Front (Question)

Acyl chloride + nucleophile mechanism

Back (Answer)

• Nucleophile attacks partially positive carbon of carbonyl group, breaking c=o bond • Leaves a tetrahedral intermediate with a negatively charged oxygen atom • The leaving group, normally a chloride ion, departs, stabilising the intermediate • The tetrahedral intermediate rearranges to reform the carbonyl group, forming an acyl compound bonded to the nucleophile