State reasons for the following situations:
i) Monochloroethanoic acid is a weaker acid than dichloroethanoic acid.
ii) Benzoic acid is a stronger acid than ethanoic acid.
i) Monochloroethanoic acid is a weaker acid than dichloroethanoic acid.
ii) Benzoic acid is a stronger acid than ethanoic acid.
Solution
(i) Acidity rises with the stabilisation of the carboxylate. Two chlorines withdraw more electron density than one, so CHClCOO is more stabilised than CHClCOO — dichloroethanoic acid is the stronger acid.
(ii) In benzoic acid the ring carbon (sp) exerts a −I pull and the benzoate charge is partly delocalised; in ethanoic acid the +I methyl pushes electrons onto the carboxylate. Hence CHCOOH > CHCOOH in acid strength.
(ii) In benzoic acid the ring carbon (sp) exerts a −I pull and the benzoate charge is partly delocalised; in ethanoic acid the +I methyl pushes electrons onto the carboxylate. Hence CHCOOH > CHCOOH in acid strength.
CBSE Class 12 Board · 2008 · Foreign · Subjective