Question

Benzoic acid and o- toluic acid acidity comparison

Answer 1

Explanation:

[Ortho effect- o-toluic acid is even stronger than benzoic acid.] The carboxy group being out of the plane in o-toluic acid eliminates the factor of +H & increase acidic character by also inhibiting +R effect of benzene (which somewhat destabilises negative charge of carboxylate ion by cross-conjugation)Nearly all o-substituted benzoic acids are stronger than the benzoic acid. ... Any o- substituent tends to prevent this coplanarity. Thus, resonance is diminished resulting in increased acidic strength. The ortho effect is responsible for ortho methyl benzoic acid to be more acidic than para methyl benzoic acid.