Identify the most acidic carboxylic acid.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The acidity of carboxylic acids is influenced by the electron-withdrawing ability of substituents attached to the carbon atom nearest to the carboxyl group. Among the given options, fluorine (F) is the most electronegative element, which means it has the strongest electron-withdrawing effect. This increases the acidity of the carboxylic acid by stabilizing the negative charge on the oxygen atom in the carboxylate ion that forms when the acid donates a proton (H+). Therefore, the carboxylic acid with a fluorine substituent (FCH2COOH) is the most acidic.

Identify the Most Acidic Carboxylic Acid