Carbolic Acid: Its Doses and Medicinal Value

Carboxylic acids possess an acidic –COOH functional group. The acidity can be attributed to the resonance stabilization of their conjugate base, wherein the negative charge is delocalized over both oxygen atoms.

Just like β-keto acids—which upon thermal decarboxylation form ketones—β-dicarboxylic acids undergo decarboxylation to generate monocarboxylic acids with the liberation of carbon dioxide.

Carboxylic acids, upon heating, undergo a decarboxylation reaction by releasing carbon dioxide gas. Monocarboxylic acids do not undergo decarboxylation easily. However, a silver salt of carboxylic acid reacts with bromine or iodine under high temperature to release carbon dioxide gas and forms halide with one less carbon. This reaction is called the Hunsdiecker reaction.

Carboxylic acids can be prepared by the carboxylation of Grignard reagents (RMgX). This method is convenient for converting alkyl (primary, secondary or tertiary), vinyl, benzyl, and aryl halides to carboxylic acids with one additional carbon than the starting RMgX.

Carboxylic acids are the strongest organic acids. However, their acidic strength is much less than mineral acids like HCl. Carboxylic acids ionize in water and readily lose the hydroxyl proton to form a resonance-stabilized carboxylate ion.

Carboxylic acids with lower molecular weight exhibit a sharp and unpleasant odor. They also have higher boiling and melting points than analogous compounds, such as aldehydes, ketones, and alcohols.