What class of compound is C2H5COOH?

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Study for the IGCSE Edexcel Chemistry Test. Access flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

What class of compound is C2H5COOH?

Explanation:
Recognizing the carboxyl group was the key idea. The molecule C2H5COOH contains a -COOH group, a carbonyl carbon double-bonded to an oxygen and also bonded to a hydroxyl group on the same carbon. That specific arrangement defines a carboxylic acid. The -COOH group also explains the acidic behavior of these compounds, since the hydrogen on the -OH can be lost to form a stable carboxylate ion by resonance. If you compare with the other classes: an alcohol has a separate -OH group attached to a carbon, not as part of -COOH; an aldehyde has a -CHO group at the end of the carbon chain; an alkane is just carbon-hydrogen chains with no carbonyl or -OH groups. So the presence of the -COOH group makes it a carboxylic acid.

Recognizing the carboxyl group was the key idea. The molecule C2H5COOH contains a -COOH group, a carbonyl carbon double-bonded to an oxygen and also bonded to a hydroxyl group on the same carbon. That specific arrangement defines a carboxylic acid. The -COOH group also explains the acidic behavior of these compounds, since the hydrogen on the -OH can be lost to form a stable carboxylate ion by resonance.

If you compare with the other classes: an alcohol has a separate -OH group attached to a carbon, not as part of -COOH; an aldehyde has a -CHO group at the end of the carbon chain; an alkane is just carbon-hydrogen chains with no carbonyl or -OH groups. So the presence of the -COOH group makes it a carboxylic acid.

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