-
Background . . .
-
An introduction to carboxylic acids and their salts, including their bonding and their physical properties.
-
Preparation of carboxylic acids . . .
-
Their preparation by the oxidation of primary alcohols and aldehydes, and by the hydrolysis of nitriles.
-
Simple reactions of carboxylic acids as acids . . .
-
Reactions with metals, sodium hydroxide, carbonates and hydrogencarbonates, ammonia and amines.
-
Making esters from carboxylic acids . . .
-
Reactions with alcohols to produce esters.
-
Reduction of carboxylic acids . . .
-
The reduction of carboxylic acids to primary alcohols using lithium tetrahydridoaluminate(III) (lithium aluminium hydride).
-
Making acyl chlorides (acid chlorides) . . .
-
Replacing the -OH in the -COOH group with chlorine using phosphorus(V) chloride, phosphorus(III) chloride or sulphur dichloride oxide (thionyl chloride).
-
The decarboxylation of carboxylic acids and their salts . . .
-
Formation of hydrocarbons by heating the salts of carboxylic acids (and some acids) with soda lime.