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Chapter 26: Problem 26

Give the isomers of the carboxylic acid with the molecular formula \(\mathrm{C}_{4} \mathrm{H}_{8} \mathrm{O}_{2}\).

Short Answer

Expert verified
The two isomers are butanoic acid and methyl propanoate.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the main functional group and core structure

A carboxylic acid has a -COOH functional group. With 4 carbons in the molecular formula, first consider a straight-chain structure with the carboxylic acid at one end.
02

Experiment with Different Arrangements

Next, experiment with arranging the functional group in different places along this skeleton. Because a carboxylic acid functional group must be at the end of a chain, this functional group could also be located in the second carbon atom from the end.
03

Identify Isomers

Results in two isomers: \[ \begin{array}{ll} 1) & \text { Butanoic acid: }-\mathrm{CH}_{3}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{COOH} \ 2) & \text { Methyl propanoate: }-\mathrm{CH}_{3}-\mathrm{CH}-\left(\mathrm{CH}_{3}\right)-\mathrm{COOH} \end{array}\] Note: Isomers also be cyclical in structure, but for a carboxylic acid with only four carbon atoms, a cyclic structure is not possible.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Explain the important distinctions between each pair of terms: (a) alkane and alkene; (b) aliphatic and aromatic compound; (c) alcohol and phenol; (d) ether and ester; (e) amine and ammonia.

Write structural formulas corresponding to these condensed formulas. (a) \(\mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{CH}_{2} \mathrm{CHBrCHBrCH}_{3}\) (b) \(\left(\mathrm{CH}_{3}\right)_{3} \mathrm{CCH}_{2} \mathrm{C}\left(\mathrm{CH}_{3}\right)_{2} \mathrm{CH}_{2} \mathrm{CH}_{2} \mathrm{CH}_{3}\) (c) \(\left(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5}\right)_{2} \mathrm{CHCH}=\mathrm{CHCH}_{2} \mathrm{CH}_{3}\).

Supply a name or structural formula for each of the following. (a) phenylacetylene (b) \(m\) -dichlorobenzene

Identify the functional group in each compound (i.e., alcohol, amine, etc.). (a) \(\mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{CH}_{2} \mathrm{COOH}\) (b) \(\left(\mathrm{CH}_{3}\right)_{2} \mathrm{CHCH}_{2} \mathrm{OCH}_{3}\) (c) \(\mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{CH}\left(\mathrm{NH}_{2}\right) \mathrm{CH}_{2} \mathrm{CH}_{3}\) (d) \(\mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{COOCH}_{3}\).

Supply condensed structural formulas for the following substances. (a) 2,4,6 -trinitrotoluene (TNT-an explosive) (b) methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen) [Hint: Salicylic acid is \(o \text { -hydroxybenzoic acid. }]\) (c) 2 -hydroxy-1,2,3-propanetricarboxylic acid (citric \(\left.\operatorname{acid}, \mathrm{C}_{6} \mathrm{H}_{8} \mathrm{O}_{7}\right)\).
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