Carboxylic Acid Reactions

You may use these summaries and problems but you may NOT download them for use at another site, nor may you charge for access to them. Copyright Linda M. Sweeting 1997

The following example reactions are organized by type, with references to text chapters. Links within these summaries (which may show up as boxes around reagents) will provide further information about the reagents and their other reactions. Return to Graphical Reaction Summary menu for other functional group choices.

Except for acid-base reactions, products are shown after neutralization in aqueous solution.

Of the OH

+ H2O
McMurry 21.3, Fessenden 14.5, Schmid 15.8
To: Carboxylic acid salt reactions

Of the Carbonyl

Reduction (Addition)


McMurry 17.5, 20.8, Fessenden 14.7, Schmid 15.17
To: Reactions of alcohols

Addition / Elimination

+ SO2 + HCl
McMurry 21.3, Fessenden 15.3B, Schmid 16.5
To: Reactions of acid chlorides
+ H2O
Mechanism!
McMurry 21.4, Fessenden 14.6, Schmid 15.11
To: Reactions of esters
To: Other ways of making esters


Decarboxylation of a 3-ketoacid or 1,3-diacid
McMurry 21.3, Fessenden 14.8C, Schmid 24.6
To: Carboxylic acid synthesis
To the main graphical reactions menu.
Last update February 1999