Industrial Applications of Carboxylic Acids
| Compound | Application | Preparation Route |
|---|---|---|
| Acetic acid (CH3COOH) | Vinegar (5% aq.), solvent, production of vinyl acetate for polymers | Oxidation of ethanol or acetaldehyde; Monsanto process (CO + CH3OH over Rh catalyst) |
| Formic acid (HCOOH) | Preservative, leather tanning, antibacterial agent | Oxidation of methanol; hydrolysis of methyl formate |
| Benzoic acid (C6H5COOH) | Food preservative (sodium benzoate, E211), antiseptic | Oxidation of toluene (KMnO4/H+) |
| Lactic acid | Food preservative, biodegradable plastics (PLA) | Fermentation; synthesis from 2-chloropropanoic acid (HVZ product + hydrolysis) |
| Adipic acid (HOOC(CH2)4COOH) | Nylon-6,6 monomer | Oxidation of cyclohexane |
Pharmaceutical Relevance
| Reaction | Pharmaceutical Product | Relevance to OC-07 |
|---|---|---|
| Fischer esterification | Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) — acylation of salicylic acid's –OH | Esterification of –COOH + –OH |
| HVZ alpha-halogenation | 2-Bromopropionic acid → lactic acid → pharmaceutical intermediates | HVZ product as synthetic precursor |
| Nitrile hydrolysis | Amino acid synthesis intermediates | RCN → RCOOH → RCHNH2COOH |
| Grignard + CO2 | Ibuprofen synthesis (multi-step, includes Grignard carboxylation) | Grignard route to –COOH |
Connection to NEET
Applications are not directly tested but provide context that makes mechanistic facts memorable. Aspirin synthesis (esterification) and benzoic acid (food preservative) frequently appear in NEET context questions.