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Uses of Carboxylic Acids and its Derivatives

Formic Acid

It is Used

  1. For the dehydration of hides.
  2. As a coagulating agent for rubber latex
  3. In medicine for treatment of gout
  4. As an antiseptic in the preservation of fruit juice.

Acetic Acid

It is Used

  1. As table vinegar
  2. For coagulating rubber latex
  3. For manufacture of cellulose acetate and poly vinylacetate

Benzoic Acid

It is Used

  1. As food preservative either in the pure form or in the form of sodium benzoate
  2. In medicine as an urinary antiseptic
  3. For manufacture of dyes

Acetyl Chloride

It is Used

  1. As acetylating agent in organic synthesis
  2. In detection and estimation of – OH, – NH2 groups in organic compounds

Acetic Anhydride

It is Used

  1. Acetylating Agent
  2. In the preparation of medicine like asprin and phenacetin
  3. For the manufacture plastics like cellulose acetate and poly vinyl acetate.

Ethyl Acetate is Used

  1. In the preparation of artificial fruit essences.
  2. As a solvent for lacquers.
  3. In the preparation of organic synthetic reagent like ethyl acetoacetate.

Carboxylic acids and their derivatives are used in the production of polymers, biopolymers, coatings, adhesives, and pharmaceutical drugs. They also can be used as solvents, food additives, antimicrobials, and flavourings.

The functional groups at the heart of this chapter are called carboxylic acid derivatives: they include carboxylic acids themselves, carboxylates (deprotonated carboxylic acids), amides, esters, thioesters, and
acyl phosphates.

Carboxylic acids have a hydroxyl group bonded to an acyl group, and their functional derivatives are prepared by replacement of the hydroxyl group with substituents, such as halo, alkoxyl, amino and acyloxy. Some examples of these functional derivatives were displayed earlier.

Carboxylic acids are also important in the manufacture of greases, crayons, and plastics. Compounds with carboxyl groups are relatively easily converted to compounds called esters, which have the hydrogen atom of the carboxyl group replaced with a group containing carbon and hydrogen atoms.

In general, it finds use primary as an acylating agent (source of an acetyl group) for alcohols and amines. This liquid is also used to make pharmaceuticals such as aspirin and salicylic acid, as well as a preservative for wood.

Carboxylic acids are soluble in water. Carboxylic acids do not dimerise in water, but forms hydrogen bonds with water. Carboxylic acids are polar and due to the presence of the hydroxyl in the carboxyl group, they are able to form hydrogen bonds with water molecules.

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