Q:

The acidity of carboxylic acid is stronger than that of phenol

ask a question
A:
Carboxylic Acidity Than Phenol Strong result in Analysis

In chemistry, acidity is a measure of a chemical's ability to emit hydrogen ions, and differences in acidity of different compounds are often discussed. A common issue is that "carboxylic acids are greater acidic than phenols". The conclusion to this question is yes, carboxylic acid is indeed greater acidic than phenol. And In particular We will examine the causes of this phenomenon in detail, and discuss the molecular structure, interaction mechanism and other aspects in depth. I've found that THE MOLECULAR STRUCTURE AND ACIDITY RELATIONSHIP OF CARBOXYLIC ACIDS

One of the core factors of acidity is molecular structure. In my experience, The molecular structure of carboxylic acid contains a carboxyl group (-COOH), which makes it easier to carboxylic acid to emit hydrogen ions (H) in aquatic environments. In aqueous solution, the carboxyl group of a carboxylic acid is able to ionize with aquatic environments molecule to form a hydrogen ion and a carboxylate ion (R-COO-). According to research Because the carboxylate ion is stable, the molecule tends to lose hydrogen ions, which makes the carboxylic acid greater acidic. Furthermore In contrast, phenol has a molecular structure in which the hydroxide group (-OH) is immediately attached to the benzene ring. In aqueous solution, the oxygen atoms of phenol combine with hydrogen atoms to form hydrogen ions, however phenol has less tendency to emit hydrogen ions. Therefore, phenol is less acidic than carboxylic acid. Moreover Conjugate base stability of carboxylic acids and phenols

In addition to the molecular structure, the strength of the acid is also related to the stability of the conjugate base of the acid. Conjugate base refers to the negative ion formed after the acid loses its hydrogen ion. But Based on my observations, to carboxylic acids, the carboxylate ion (R-COO-) formed after the loss of the hydrogen ion is relatively stable, because this negative charge is able to be dispersed by the resonance effect between the two oxygen atoms. This dispersion of electrons increases the stability of the conjugate base, which drives the emit of hydrogen ions. The phenoxide ion (C6H5O-) formed after the loss of hydrogen ions in phenol, while it's able to also spread negative charges through the resonance effect of the benzene ring, is far less stable than the carboxylate ion. The negative charge of the phenoxide ion is mainly concentrated on the oxygen atom, and the stability is poor, so the ability of phenol to emit hydrogen ions is weak, and the acidity is relatively weak. acidic than phenol experimental data support

Through the experimental data, we is able to further verify the summary that the acidity of carboxylic acid is stronger than that of phenol. Generally speaking to instance, on the acidity value (pKa value), carboxylic acids generally have a reduced pKa value, meaning that they emit hydrogen ions greater readily in aquatic environments. But The pKa value of phenol is generally higher, indicating that it does not readily emit hydrogen ions in aquatic environments. it's clear from these experimental data that carboxylic acids are much greater acidic than phenol. And I've found that Summary

The phenomenon of "the acidity of carboxylic acid is stronger than that of phenol" is able to be explained from the aspects of molecular structure, stability of conjugate base and experimental data. I've found that The carboxyl structure of carboxylic acid and the stability of its conjugate base make the carboxylic acid have strong acidity, while the acidity of phenol is weak, mainly due to its molecular structure and the stability of the conjugate base is low. Understanding these factors is crucial to the prediction and practical consumption of chemical interactions.

Get a Free Quote

Request a Quote

Submission

Quick inquiry

Create
Cancel submit

Inquiry Sent

We will contact you soon