Quick Qs

1. What functional group do alcohols contain?

2. What are the first 3 members of the homologous
series of alcohols?
3. What type of solution is formed when these
alcohols dissolve in water?
4. These alcohols also react with sodium and
produce which gas?
5. Alcohols burn in air so can be used as fuels, can
you give two other uses of alcohols?
6. If you leave ethanol e.g. wine open to the air
what will happen to it and why?

-OH
Methanol, Ethanol,
Propanol (MEP)
Neutral
Hydrogen
Solvents and Alcoholic drinks
It is oxidised to ethanoic acid,
either by chemical oxidising
agents or by microbial action.
Ethanoic acid is the main acid
in vinegar.
Ethanol is oxidised to ethanoic acid, either by
chemical oxidising agents or by microbial
action.
Ethanoic acid is the main acid in vinegar.

Ethanoic acid is a member of the
carboxylic acids,
which have the functional group
COOH.
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What are carboxylic acids?
Carboxylic acids contain a functional group of carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen atoms arranged like this...
What do you think the carboxylic acid with three carbon atoms
is called?
...which is written as COOH.
methanoic acid (HCOOH) ethanoic acid (CH
3
COOH)
E.g.
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Making carboxylic acids
In fact, any carboxylic acid can be made by oxidizing the
corresponding alcohol.
If you leave wine standing open to the air, oxygen from the air
will oxidize the ethanol to ethanoic acid, forming vinegar.
Q) Which carboxylic acid is made when methanol is oxidized?
A) Methanoic acid.
ethanoic acid oxygen water ethanol
+ +
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Properties of carboxylic acids
Carboxylic acids:
have relatively high melting and boiling points
are very soluble in water
are weak acids
have a characteristic smell!
Examples of everyday carboxylic acids include:
citric acid (found in citrus fruits)
lactic acid (found in tired muscles)
malic acid (found in sour and tart foods).
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Match the properties
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Chemical properties of carboxylic acids
Carboxylic acids are typical weak acids.
What would happen if you added a few cm
3
of dilute ethanoic
acid to each of these substances?
A few drops of universal
indicator.
3 cm
3
sodium hydroxide
solution.
Half a spatula of sodium
carbonate.
A piece of magnesium
ribbon.
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Reactions of carboxylic acids
Carboxylic acids react like any other type of acid, forming
salts when they react with alkalis, carbonates and metals:
ethanoic acid
sodium
ethanoate
water
sodium
carbonate
+ +
carbon
dioxide
+
2CH
3
COOH 2CH
3
COONa H
2
O Na
2
CO
3
+ + CO
2
+
ethanoic acid
sodium
ethanoate
hydrogen sodium + +
2CH
3
COOH 2CH
3
COONa H
2
2Na + +
ethanoic acid
sodium
ethanoate
water
sodium
hydroxide
+ +
CH
3
COOH CH
3
COONa H
2
O NaOH + +
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What are esters?
Esters have characteristic smells, and are often used in
flavourings and perfumes.
For example:
propyl ethanoate smells of pears
butyl butanoate smells of pineapple
methyl butanoate smells of apple.
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Esters
Esters contain this group of atoms:
Esters are made from the reaction of a carboxylic acid with an alcohol:
...which is written as COO.
carboxylic acid + alcohol ester + water
+ +
+ + CH
3
CH
2
COOH CH
3
OH H
2
O CH
3
CH
2
COOCH
3
propanoic acid methanol methyl propanoate water + +
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Naming esters
Esters are named after the alcohol and the carboxylic acid from which they are
made. The alcohol gives the first part of the name, and the carboxylic acid
gives the second. Esters always end in anoate.
ethanoic acid methanol
methyl ethanoate
For example:
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Matching carboxylic acids to their esters
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Practising naming esters
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How are esters made?
Esters are made by reacting a carboxylic
acid with an alcohol.
How could you speed it up?
The reactants could be
heated in order to make the
reaction faster.
A catalyst of concentrated
sulfuric acid could be added.
However, the reaction is very slow at
room temperature.
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Making esters
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What are the stages in making an ester?
Method to make an Ester
1. Put 5cm3 Ethanol and 5cm3 of Ethanoic Acid into a
boiling tube
2. Place the boiling tube into a water bath (beaker 2/3 full of
boiled water)
3. Measure the temperature of the Ethanol and Ethanoic
Acid look for when it is 60oC
4. Then VERY CAREFULLY use a pipette to run a small
amount of concentrated Sulphuric Acid down the inside
of the boiling tube
5. Leave for One minute in the water bath do NOT SMELL
IT
6. Then pour the contents of the boiling tube into a beaker
which is full of Sodium Carbonatem solution
7. The ESTER will float, waft the aroma - do not smell
directly from the beaker