1.4 Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives

LEARNING GOALS

After   Chapter 1.4,    you will    be  able    to:

Name    common  carboxylic  acid    derivatives,    including   esters, amides, and anhydrides

Differentiate   between common  carboxylic  acid    derivatives

CARBOXYLIC ACIDS

Carboxylic acids contain both a carbonyl group (C=O) and a hydroxyl group (–OH) on a terminal
carbon. Carboxylic acids, like aldehydes, are terminal functional groups; therefore, their associated
carbon is usually numbered 1. This is the most oxidized functional group that appears on the MCAT,
with three bonds to oxygen; only carbon dioxide, with four bonds to oxygen, contains a more
oxidized carbon. Carboxylic acids are thus the highest-priority functional group in MCAT-tested
nomenclature, and all other groups are named as substituents using prefixes. Carboxylic acids are
named by replacing –e in the name of the parent alkane with the suffix –oic acid.

Once again, the common names for carboxylic acids show up fairly often on the MCAT. Formic acid is
the common name for methanoic acid; acetic acid is ethanoic acid; and propionic acid is propanoic
acid. These compounds are shown in Figure 1.10. Be sure that you know both these common names
and IUPAC names for Test Day.