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🧪 Chemistry  ·  Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids  ·  NEET & JEE

Carboxylic acids have unusually high boiling points mainly because they:

Answer: form hydrogen-bonded dimers.

  • A form hydrogen-bonded dimers
  • B are highly ionic solids
  • C have very high molar mass
  • D contain a carbonyl group

Correct answer: A. form hydrogen-bonded dimers

Explanation: Two molecules pair through two O-H...O hydrogen bonds to form a dimer, so a larger effective mass raises the boiling point.

Nucleophilic Addition to C=ONu:-CORR'CO-RR'Nu

Curved arrows show the nucleophile attacking the carbonyl carbon while the C=O pi electrons move onto oxygen, giving a tetrahedral alkoxide intermediate.

Concept context

Aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, and their derivatives (esters, amides, acid chlorides). Key reactions include nucleophilic addition, Aldol condensation, Cannizzaro, and Claisen. Very heavily tested in JEE and NEET.

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