Which reagent converts a carboxylic acid to a carboxylate salt?

Master NCEA Level 3 Organic Chemistry Reaction Schemes. Prepare with multiple choice questions, complete with hints and detailed explanations. Ace your exam with our comprehensive tools!

Multiple Choice

Which reagent converts a carboxylic acid to a carboxylate salt?

The key idea is acid–base neutralization: a carboxylic acid is deprotonated by a base to give the carboxylate anion, which then pairs with a counterion to form a carboxylate salt. In other words, you need a base to remove the proton from the acid, and the species that results from this transformation is the carboxylate salt. The other options don’t drive this deprotonation under typical conditions: the plain carboxylic acid remains acidic, while an alcohol or an ester isn’t acting as the base needed to pull off the proton, so they don’t convert the acid to its salt.

The key idea is acid–base neutralization: a carboxylic acid is deprotonated by a base to give the carboxylate anion, which then pairs with a counterion to form a carboxylate salt. In other words, you need a base to remove the proton from the acid, and the species that results from this transformation is the carboxylate salt. The other options don’t drive this deprotonation under typical conditions: the plain carboxylic acid remains acidic, while an alcohol or an ester isn’t acting as the base needed to pull off the proton, so they don’t convert the acid to its salt.

More practice questions