Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Qualitative Identification of Carboxylic Acids, Boronic Acids, and Amines Using Cruciform Fluorophores
Published on: August 19, 2013
2-(3-Bromo-4-meth-oxy-phen-yl)acetic acid
Ilia A Guzei1, Alan R Gunderson, Nicholas J Hill
1Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Ave, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
Abstract:
The title compound C(9)H(9)BrO(3), was synthesized by the regioselective bromination of 4-meth-oxy-phenyl-acetic acid using bromine in acetic acid in a 84% yield. In the mol-ecular structure, the meth-oxy group is almost coplanar with the phenyl ring within 0.06 Å; the acetic acid substituent is tilted by 78.15 (7)° relative to the ring. The C-C-C angles at the OMe, acetyl and Br substituents are 118.2 (2), 118.4 (2) and 121.5 (2)°, respectively, indicating that the Br atom is electron-withdrawing, whereas the other substituents possess electron-donating properties. In the crystal, the mol-ecules form centrosymmetric strongly O-H⋯O hydrogen-bonded dimers of the type R(2) (2)(8).
Related Concept Videos
IUPAC Nomenclature of Aldehydes
Nomenclature of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: Acid Halides, Esters, and Acid Anhydrides
The IUPAC and common names of acid halides are derived from the corresponding carboxylic acids, by changing “ic acid” to “yl halide.” For example, as shown below, the IUPAC name ethanoyl chloride is derived from ethanoic acid, and the common name, acetyl chloride, is obtained from acetic acid.
α-Bromination of Carboxylic Acids: Hell–Volhard–Zelinski Reaction
Acidity and Basicity of Alcohols and Phenols
Alkylation of β-Diester Enolates: Malonic Ester Synthesis
IUPAC Nomenclature of Carboxylic Acids
For acyclic saturated monocarboxylic acids, the longest hydrocarbon chain containing the –COOH carbon is identified as the parent chain. Then, the last -e of the parent hydrocarbon name is replaced with a suffix -oic acid.

