Carboxylic acid

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Total cards: 24•Content version: v4•Public deck•Updated: 8/1/2026

Card preview (24)

Front (Question)

What is the functional group of a carboxylic acid?

Back (Answer)

carboxyl group (carbonyl group + hydroxyl group)

Front (Question)

What is the general formula for an aliphatic carboxylic acid?

Back (Answer)

RCOOH

Front (Question)

How do you name a carboxylic acid?

Back (Answer)

derived from the parent alkane by dropping the suffix -e and adding -oic acid

Front (Question)

Why do you not need to give the carboxyl group a number?

Back (Answer)

Because it is understood to be carbon 1 because it is the highest priority functional group

Front (Question)

How do you name a dicarboxylic acid?

Back (Answer)

Named as a -dioic acid and the longest chain contains both carboxyl carbons

Front (Question)

Describe the polarity of carboxyl group (2 components)

Back (Answer)

• polar hydrophilic carboxyl group (incease solubility) 2. nonpolar hydrophobic hydrocarbonchain (decrease solubility)

Front (Question)

Why do carboxylic acids have high boiling points?

Back (Answer)

Because they are associated by hydrogen bonding into dimers

Front (Question)

Explain the increased acidity of carboxylic acids

Back (Answer)

• charge delocalization through resonance in a carboxylate anion relative to an alkoxide ion • the electron-withdrawing inductive effect of the carbonyl group

Front (Question)

pKa tells you the acidity of what?

Back (Answer)

The hydrogen atom in the molecule

#10

Front (Question)

pH tells you the acidity of what?

Back (Answer)

The solution

#11

Front (Question)

Write the equilibrium formula for acid HA with water

Back (Answer)

HA + H2O A- + H3O

#12

Front (Question)

Write the equilibrium formula for acid HA with water

Back (Answer)

HA + H2O A- + H3O

#13

Front (Question)

Why can all molecules be considered amphoteric?

Back (Answer)

Because they can always be protonated/deprotonated by a stronger acid/base

#14

Front (Question)

The pH of a solution depends on what two things?

Back (Answer)

• The concentration of the solution 2. The acid in question

#15

Front (Question)

Write the acidity constant Ka for the equilibrium reaction of an acid with water

Back (Answer)

Ka = [H3O][A-]/[AH}

#16

Front (Question)

What is the logarithmic form of the acidity constant?

Back (Answer)

pKa = -logKa

#17

Front (Question)

A stronger acid has a lower pKa or a higher pKa?

Back (Answer)

the lower the pKa the higher the Ka and the stronger the acid

#18

Front (Question)

Rearrange the expression for Ka to show that pKa is the pH at which an acid is exactly half dissociated

Back (Answer)

• Ka = [H3O][A-]/[AH] • [H3O] = Ka * [AH]/[A-] • pH = pKa - log [AH]/[A-]

#19

Front (Question)

At pH above the pKa, how does an acid exist?

Back (Answer)

Acid exists as A- in water and will be fairly soluble

#20

Front (Question)

At pH below the pKa, how does an acid exist?

Back (Answer)

Acid exists mostly as AH in water and will be less soluble

#21

Front (Question)

How are pKa and stability of conjugate base related?

Back (Answer)

More stable conjugate base has a higher Ka becuase they give up a proton more, and therefore have a lower pKa.

#22

Front (Question)

How are pKa and stability of conjugate base related?

Back (Answer)

More stable conjugate base has a higher Ka becuase they give up a proton more, and therefore have a lower pKa.

#23

Front (Question)

Explain the increased acidity of carboxylic acids compared to alcohols (2 components)

Back (Answer)

• charge delocalization through resonance in a carboxylate anion relative to an alkoxide ion • electron withdrawing inductive effect of the carbonyl group

#24

Front (Question)

What are three ways to prepare a carboxylic acid?

Back (Answer)

• Oxidation of primary alcohols and aldehydes • Treating a grignard reagent with carbon dioxide • Treating a nitrile with water