Carboxyl group

views updated Jun 08 2018

Carboxyl group

A carboxyl group, also called a carboxy group, is a characteristic group of atoms found in organic molecules. Organic compounds that contain carboxyl groups are called carboxylic acids. The simplest carboxylic acid is the alkanoic acids.

The carboxyl group occurs on the end or side of a molecule. The group consists of a carbon (C) atom that forms two chemical bonds to one oxygen (O) atom and one chemical bond to a second oxygen atom. This second oxygen is also bonded to a hydrogen (H) atom. The arrangement is writtenCOOH or C(O)OH (which emphasizes the different chemical bonding between the carbon atom and one of the oxygen atoms).

The name carboxyl is actually a combination of the words carbonyl and hydroxyl, since the carboxyl group itself can be considered as a combination of carbonyl (CO) and hydroxyl (OH) groups.

Carboxyl groups are reactive. They are able to react with amine groups. When this occurs, they form peptide bonds that, in the process, release a molecule of water (H2 O). They are also able to react with alcohols, which have the general form (where n is a variable) Cn H2n+1 OH. In this instance, esters are formed in one of two ways: by the Mitsunobu reaction or the Fischer esterification.

Carboxyl Group

views updated May 11 2018

Carboxyl group

A carboxyl group, also called a carboxy group, is a characteristic group of atoms found in organic molecules. Organic compounds that contain carboxyl groups are called carboxylic acids .

The carboxyl group occurs on the end or side of a molecule . The group consists of a carbon atom that forms two chemical bonds to one oxygen atom and one chemical bond to a second oxygen atom. This second oxygen is also bonded to a hydrogen atom. The arrangement is written -COOH or -C(O)OH (which emphasizes the different chemical bonding between the carbon atom and one of the oxygen atoms). The name "carboxyl" is actually a combination of the words "carbonyl" and" hydroxyl," because the carboxyl group itself can be considered as a combination of carbonyl (CO) and hydroxyl (OH) groups.

carboxyl

views updated May 29 2018

car·box·yl / kärˈbäksəl/ • n. [as adj.] Chem. of or denoting the acid radical −COOH, present in most organic acids: the carboxyl group.

carboxyl group

views updated Jun 27 2018

carboxyl group The organic group –CO.OH, present in carboxylic acids.

carboxyl

views updated May 21 2018

carboxyl The group -CO2H (also written as -COOH).

More From encyclopedia.com