Carboxylic Acids
Describe the properties of aqueous ethanoic acid
● Ethanoic acid is a member of the carboxylic acids, they have the functional group –COOH.
● It dissolves in water to produce an acidic solution (Extended only) Describe the formation of ethanoic aci
● First four members are: methanoic acid, ethanoic acid, propanoic acid and butanoic acid
Describe the formation of ethanoic acid by the oxidation of ethanol by fermentation and with acidified potassium manganate(VII)
● Ethanol reacts with oxygen in the air to form ethanoic acid (microbial oxidation)
● Ethanol reacts with acidified potassium manganate(VII) to form ethanoic acid
Describe ethanoic acid as…
● A typical weak acid
● this means ethanol will release some H+ ions in solution, but will not fully dissociate (loses the H + from the COOH group)
● Carboxylic acids react with alcohols in the presence of an acid catalyst to
produce esters…
o They have the functional group –COO-.
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● name:
o first part is from alcohol e.g. methanol → methyl
o second part is from carboxylic acid e.g. butanoic acid→ butanoate
Esters with Methanoic acid:
Esters with Ethanoic acid:
Esters with propanoic acid:
