Carboxylic acids and derivs

Carboxylic acids and derivatives (including amides and nitriles). 

The next several chapters deal with the chemistry of various oxygen containing func tional groups The interplay of these important classes of compounds—alcohols ethers aldehydes ketones carboxylic acids and derivatives of carboxylic acids— IS fundamental to organic chemistry and biochemistry... 

Syntheses of Aliphatic Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives. Alkenes are carbonylated in the presence of acid catalysts at 75-100°C and under pressures of 60—90 MPa (600—900 atm) to give carboxyUc acids (186). 

The reaction is less selective than the related benzoylation reaction (/pMe = 30.2, cf. 626), thereby indicating a greater charge on the electrophile this is in complete agreement with the greater ease of nuclophilic substitution of sulphonic acids and derivatives compared to carboxylic acids and derivatives and may be rationalized from a consideration of resonance structures. The effect of substituents on the reactivity of the sulphonyl chloride follows from the effect of stabilizing the aryl-sulphonium ion formed in the ionisation step (81) or from the effect on the preequilibrium step (79). 

Nitrilases convert nitriles to the corresponding carboxylic acids and NH3 through a cysteine residue in the active site [50]. Because of their high enantio- and regio-selectivity, nitrilases are attractive as green catalysts for the synthesis of a variety of carboxylic acids and derivatives (Figure 1.10) [51,52]. Recently, a number of recombinant nitrilases have been cloned and characterized heterologously for synthetic applications [50,53,54]. 

The photolysis of carboxylic acids and derivatives as lactones, esters and anhydrides can yield decarboxylated products 253>. This reaction has been utilized in the synthesis of a-lactones from cyclic diacyl peroxides 254) (2.34) and in the synthesis of [2,2]paracyclophane by bis-decarboxylation of a lactone precursor (2.35) 255). This latter product was also obtained by photoinduced desulfurization of the analogous cyclic sulfide in the presence of triethyl phosphite 256). 

Scheme 1.34. Formation of acyl-zirconocene derivatives by carbonylation and their conversion into aldehydes, carboxylic acids, and derivatives thereof.

R. Taylor in "Chemistry of Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives" Suppl. 2, (Patai, Editor) Chapter 15, 860, Wiley, N.Y. (1979). 

Physical properties of carboxylic acids and derivatives include solubility, melting point, boiling point, and a few other characteristics. In this section we examine each class and discuss the most important physical properties. (In the upcoming section Considering the Acidity of Carboxylic Acids, we discuss the most important chemical property of Ccirboxylic acids — acidity.)... 

You can use the unique spectroscopy of carboxylic acids and derivatives, described in the following list, to help you identify those compounds. 

Acrylic Acid Propenoic Acid Benzoic Acid Carboxylic Acids Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives Carboxylic Acids with Other Functional Groups Carboxylic Acids with Other Functional Groups Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid 2,4-d Cesium... 

---