Carboxylic Acid

Name:
Carboxylic Acid
Detailed information:
Any of a broad array of organic acids comprised chiefly of alkyl (hydrocarbon) groups (CH₂, CH₃), usually in a straight chain (aliphatic), terminating in a carboxyl group (COOH). Exceptions to this structure are formic acid (HCOOH) and oxalic acid (HOOCCOOH). The number of carbon atoms ranges from one (formic) to 26 (cerotic), the carbon of the terminal group being counted as part of the chain. Carboxylic acids include the large and important class of fatty acids and may be either saturated or unsaturated. A few contain halogen atoms (chloracetic). There are also some natural aromatic carboxylic acids (benzoic, salicylic), as well as alicyclic types (abietic, chaulmoogric).See Amino Acid.