Misconceptions — True/False Table (20 Statements) — Notes

#	Statement	True/False	Correction
1	NaBH4 reduces carboxylic acids to primary alcohols.	FALSE	NaBH4 is too mild; only LiAlH4 reduces RCOOH to RCH2OH.
2	HCOOH is weaker acid than CH3COOH because it is simpler.	FALSE	HCOOH (pKa 3.75) is STRONGER than CH3COOH (pKa 4.76).
3	HVZ reaction can be performed on formic acid.	FALSE	HCOOH has no alpha-carbon → no alpha-H → no HVZ.
4	Benzoic acid can undergo HVZ with Br2/Red P.	FALSE	Benzoic acid has no abstractable alpha-H (aromatic ring).
5	LiAlH4 reduces benzene rings.	FALSE	LiAlH4 does NOT reduce aromatic rings under normal conditions.
6	Fischer esterification is irreversible.	FALSE	It is REVERSIBLE (K ≈ 1). Saponification is irreversible.
7	Saponification gives a free carboxylic acid + alcohol.	FALSE	Saponification gives carboxylate SALT (RCOONa) + alcohol.
8	SOCl2 reaction with RCOOH produces SO3 and HCl.	FALSE	Products are SO2 (not SO3) + HCl + RCOCl.
9	Kolbe electrolysis occurs at the cathode.	FALSE	It occurs at the ANODE (oxidation of RCOO–).
10	Soda lime decarboxylation of sodium formate gives methane.	FALSE	R = H in formate, so product is H2 (not CH4).
11	The two C–O bonds in RCOO– have different bond lengths.	FALSE	Both C–O bonds are equivalent (bond order 1.5 each, ~1.27 Å).
12	More alkyl groups on the alpha-carbon make carboxylic acid stronger.	FALSE	More alkyl = stronger +I = WEAKER acid.
13	PCl3 is the preferred reagent for acyl chloride synthesis.	FALSE	SOCl2 is preferred (gaseous byproducts). PCl5 and PCl3 are less preferred.
14	Grignard reagents can be prepared in aqueous solutions.	FALSE	Grignard reagents must be prepared under strictly anhydrous conditions.
15	Nitrile hydrolysis can only be done under acidic conditions.	FALSE	Both acidic (→ RCOOH + NH4+) and basic (→ RCOONa + NH3) hydrolysis work.
16	Water (pKa 15.7) is less acidic than ethanol (pKa 16).	FALSE	Water (15.7) is MORE acidic than ethanol (~16) because ethanol has a +I ethyl group.
17	Phenol is more acidic than carboxylic acids.	FALSE	Carboxylic acids (pKa 4–5) are stronger acids than phenols (pKa ~10).
18	Kolbe electrolysis of a single carboxylate gives a mixture of alkanes.	FALSE	A single carboxylate gives only one symmetrical alkane (R–R). Mixed alkanes only from mixed salts.
19	The –I effect of Cl increases with distance from –COOH.	FALSE	–I effect DECREASES with distance. Closer Cl = stronger –I = higher acidity.
20	Terminal alkynes (pKa ~25) are more acidic than alcohols (pKa ~16).	FALSE	Alcohols (pKa ~16) are MORE acidic than terminal alkynes (pKa ~25). Lower pKa = stronger acid.