Sect. 14.4 Synthesis of Carboxylic Acids

• Primary alcohols can be used to make carboxylic acids.  (Uses K₂Cr₂O₇).  The primary alcohol is first oxidized to an aldehyde, and then to carboxylic acid.

• Secondary alcohols oxidize to ketones, and won't undergo further oxidation.  So, can secondary alcohols be used to make carboxylic acids?  What about tertiary alcohols.

Sect 14.5 Carboxylic Acid Anhydrides

• The loss of one molecule of water from two molecules of carboxylic acid forms a carboxylic acid anhydride.

• The reverse of this reaction is hydrolysis.  Hydrolysis splits the anhydride into the two molecules of acid by adding water.

Section 14.6  Carboxylic Esters

• Esterification is the reaction that forms esters.  The reactants are a carboxylic acid and an alcohol.  This is a reversible reaction, so to end up with more product we add an excess of one of the reactants.

• Esters can undergo hydrolysis in strong acid solutions.  This reaction is also reversible.

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