carboxylic acid

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carboxylic acid

chemical compound

Written by Jerry March, William H. BrownSee All

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Feb 23, 2024 • Article History

oxidation of alcohols

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Category: Science & Tech

Key People:: Pierre-Eugène-Marcellin Berthelot; Charles Gerhardt; Michel-Eugène Chevreul

Related Topics:: amino acid; fatty acid; niacin; saturated fat; abietic acid

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carboxylic acid, any of a class of organic compounds in which a carbon (C) atom is bonded to an oxygen (O) atom by a double bond and to a hydroxyl group (―OH) by a single bond. A fourth bond links the carbon atom to a hydrogen (H) atom or to some other univalent combining group. The carboxyl (COOH) group is so-named because of the carbonyl group (C=O) and hydroxyl group. The chief chemical characteristic of the carboxylic acids is their acidity. They are generally more acidic than other organic compounds containing hydroxyl groups but are generally weaker than the familiar ...(100 of 9931 words)

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