Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Isolating Free Carbenes, their Mixed Dimers and Organic Radicals
Published on: April 19, 2019
Reaction of an Introverted Carboxylic Acid with Carbodiimide
Tetsuo Iwasawa1, Paul Wash, Christoph Gibson
1The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and Department of Chemistry The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037.
Abstract:
The reaction of carboxylic acids with carbodiimides is reviewed, and an "introverted" carboxylic acid is proposed as a means of trapping reactive intermediates along the reaction pathway. The introverted acid is a cavitand with the carboxylic function directed toward the floor of the cavity. Its reaction with diisopropyl carboodiimide gives a covalent adduct that is either the elusive O-acylisourea or the commonly encountered N-acylurea.
Related Concept Videos
Reactions of Carboxylic Acids: Introduction
Preparation of Amides
The DCC-promoted synthesis of amides begins with the protonation of DCC by carboxylic acid. The protonation makes it a better acceptor. Next, the addition of carboxylate to the protonated carbodiimide gives a reactive acylating agent.
Subsequently, the amine acts as a nucleophile that attacks the acylating agent to form a tetrahedral intermediate. In the...
Preparation of Carboxylic Acids: Carboxylation of Grignard Reagents
Relative Reactivity of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
A key factor in assessing the reactivity of the acid derivatives is the basicity of the substituent or the leaving group. The lower the basicity of the leaving group, the higher the reactivity of the derivative. The basicity of the leaving group follows this order:
Halide ions < Acyloxy ions < Alkoxy ions < Amine ions
Preparation of Carboxylic Acids: Hydrolysis of Nitriles
Amides to Carboxylic Acids: Hydrolysis
Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis:
Hydrolysis of amides under acidic conditions yields carboxylic acids. Since the reaction occurs slowly, hydrolysis requires the conditions of heat.
The mechanism begins with the protonation of the carbonyl oxygen by the acid catalyst. The protonation makes the amide carbonyl carbon more...

