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Chapter 2: Q15.55 P (page 40)

Although both carboxylic acids and alcohols contain an —OH group, one is acidic in water, and the other is not. Explain

Short Answer

Expert verified

The Carboxylic group is acidic in water because it forms carboxylate ions, and alcohol is not acidic in water because it develops hydrogen bonding and does not break easily.

Step by step solution

01

Reaction of a carboxylic acid with water

carboxylic acid in water shows acidic nature.

Carboxylic acid in water leads to deprotonation occur, and the formation of carboxylate ion occurs, which is a conjugate base and shows that carboxylic is acidic:

Formation of carboxylate ion

02

Reaction of alcohol with water

Alcohol does not show acidic behaviour in water.

The reason is that water-alcohol shows hydrogen bonding with water molecules because the oxygen of the hydroxyl group contains lone pairs and attacks the proton of water and shows strong hydrogen bonding so that no acidic behaviour is displayed.

Hydrogen Bonding

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