Carboxylic acids
Carboxylic acids have the functional group COOH. A functional group is a group of atoms that gives the molecule unique chemical properties. Molecules with the carboxyl functional group (COOH) are known as organic acids. They dissolve in water to form acidic solutions. Below is a table of the homologous series of carboxylic acids.
Name
Formula
Structural formula
Methanoic acid
HCOOH
Ethanoic acid
CH3COOH
Propanoic acid
CH3CH2COOH
Butanoic acid
CH3CH2CH2COOH
What about if an acid has two carboxyl groups? Well we count the longest carbon chain that exists between the two carboxyl groups and use the suffix dioic acid. Lets see some examples  
Ethanedioic acid HOOCCOOH
Propanedioic acid HOOCCH2COOH
Hexanedioic acid HOOC(CH2)4COOH

 

Continue with alcohols

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