Compare the relative acidities of ethanoic acid, propanoic acid, fluoroethanoic acid and
iodoethanoic acid. Explain your answer giving appropriate reasons.
Answers
Answer:fluoro etanoic acid>idoethanoic acid>ethanoic acid>propanoic acid
Explanation:
The relative acidities of ethanoic acid, propanoic acid, fluoroethanoic acid and iodoethanoic acid is given as :
Fluoroethanoic acid > Iodoethanoic acid > Ethanoic acid > Propanoic acid.
- With the increase of the carbons in the chain, acidity of carboxylic acid decreases. Hence, ethanoic acid is more acidic than propanoic acid.
- The acidity of carboxylic acid increases with the increase of the electronegativity of adjacent groups. Hence, iodoethanoic acid is more acidic than ethanoic acid and fluoroethanoic acid is even more acidic than iodoethanoic acid.
- So the correct order of acidity is :
Fluoroethanoic acid > Iodoethanoic acid > Ethanoic acid > Propanoic acid