Carboxylic Acids

CARBOXYLIC ACIDS

Introduction

Carbon compounds containing a carboxyl function group, -COOH are called carboxylic acids. The Carboxyl group is the combination of carbonyl group  and the hydroxyl group (-OH).

However, carboxyl group has its own characteristic reaction. Carboxylic acids may be aliphatic (R – COOH) or aromatic (Ar – COOH) depending on the alkyl or aryl group attached to carboxylic carbon. Some higher members of aliphatic carboxylic acids (C₁₂ to C₁₈) known as fatty acids occur in natural fats as esters of glycerol.