Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives notes
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Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives: One-Page Formula Sheet
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Last updated: 26 October 2026
Formula sheet
Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives formulas
Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives — formula sheet
Formulas
- Acidity: Cl₃CCOOH > Cl₂CHCOOH > ClCH₂COOH > CH₃COOH
- HVZ: RCH₂COOH + X₂/P → RCHXCOOH
- Decarboxylation: RCOONa + NaOH/CaO → RH
- Esterification is reversible and acid-catalysed
Key ideas
- Carboxylate ion is resonance stabilised
- −I groups near –COOH increase acidity
- HVZ halogenates the α-carbon
- Reactivity of derivatives: acyl chloride > anhydride > ester > amide
Traps to avoid
- Forgetting the distance effect of −I groups
- Wrong order of derivative reactivity
- Missing one carbon loss in decarboxylation
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