Carboxylic acids continued properties

Monocarboxylic acid complexes have occupied a central position in coordination chemistry from the 19th century through to the present day.1,2 Ubiquitous is an adjective frequently and appropriately used in conjunction with this ligand in any overview of coordination chemistry. Reasons for this omnipresence of, particularly, acetic acid (ethanoic acid), an early member of this series, include its convenient properties (b.p. 117.7°C, f.p. 16.6 °C), ready availability (millions of tonnes produced annually) and its versatile coordination behaviour. Despite this long and intensive exposure as a ligand, carboxylic acids still continue to provide coordination chemists with exciting new species as any survey of the current literature will confirm. 

Chapter 22 continues the study of carbonyl compounds with a detailed look at nucleophilic acyl substitution, a key reaction of carboxylic acids and their derivatives. Substitution at sp hybridized carbon atoms was introduced in Chapter 20 with reactions involving carbon and hydrogen nucleophiles. In Chapter 22, we learn that nucleophilic acyl substitution is a general reaction that occurs with a variety of heteroatomic nucleophiles. This reaction allows the conversion of one carboxylic acid derivative into another. Every reaction in Chapter 22 that begins with a carbonyl compound involves nucleophilic substitution. Chapter 22 also discusses the properties and chemical reactions of nitriles, compounds that contain a carbon-nitrogen triple bond. Nitriles are in the same carbon oxidation state as carboxylic acids, and they undergo reactions that form related products. 

Functionalization. Copolymers do not have the abiHty to exchange ions. Such properties are imparted by chemically bonding acidic or basic functional groups to the aromatic rings of styrenic copolymers, or by modifying the carboxyl groups of the acryHc copolymers. There does not appear to be a continuous functionalization process on a commercial scale. 

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