Complexes with monocarboxylic acid anions

Published equilibrium constants for monocarboxylato complexes are summarized in Table VII. All that can be deduced with certainty from these data is that the anions derived from monocarboxylic acids form rather weak complexes with beryllium. In all probability they act as monodentate ligands. The possibility of bidentate chelation using both carboxylate oxygen atoms can be ruled out on the grounds... 

Few data are available on the concentration of dicarboxylic acid anions in subsurface waters. C2 through C q saturated acid anions have been reported in addition to maleic acid (cz5-butenedioic acid) (5. 15-16L Oxalic acid (ethanedioic) and malonic acid (propanedioic) appear to be the most abundant. Reported concentrations range widely from 0 to 2540 mg/1 but mostly are less than a few 100 mg/1. Concentrations of these species in formation waters are probably limited by several factors, including the very low solubility of calcium oxalate and calcium malonate (5), and the susceptibility of these dicarboxylic acid anions to thermal decomposition (16). This paper will focus on the monocarboxylic acids because they are much more abundant and widespread, and stability constants for their complexes with metals are better known. We do recognize that dicarboxylic acid anions may be locally important, especially for complexing metals. 

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