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.