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the cows came home and i welcomed them dearly. as a smile began to adorn my face, i knew i would never feel the same again. a tear fell to the floor.
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Synthesis of carboxylic acid via primary alcohol
reagents: strong oxidizing agents

Synthesis of carboxylic acid via alkyl halide
Add Mg to get Grignard reagent, then CO2 + H2O to get carboxylic acid.
The CO2 adds an extra carbon.

carboxylic acid derivatives
OH on carboxylic acid is replaced with other.
Used in nucleophilic acyl substitution
Reactivity ranking: Amide < Ester < Acid anhydride < Acid halide

nucleophilic acyl substitution

synthesis of acid chloride/anhydride
Reagents for acid chloride: SOCl2, PCl3, or (COCl)2
Reagent for anhydride: use an acid chloride.

hydrolysis of acid chloride/anhydride
Reagents: H3O+ or NaOH + H3O+
Both make carboxylic acid. Anhydride makes two kinds because of the different R groups.

ester formation using acid chloride/anhydride
Reagents: ROH + H+ or NaOR + H3O+
Anhydride makes two esters.

amide formation using acid chloride/anhydride
Reagent: R2NH
Anhydride makes two amides.

hydride reduction using acid chloride/anhydride
Reagents: LiAlH4 + H3O+ or NaBH4 + H3O+
Makes a primary alcohol (anhydride makes 2)

grignard reaction using acid chloride/anhydride
Reagents: RMgX + H3O+
Makes a tertiary alcohol (anhydride makes 2)

organocuprate reaction using acid chloride/anhydride
Reagent: R2CuLi
Makes a ketone, anhydride makes 2

carboxylic acid reaction summary

fischer esterification
Reagent: ROH + H+
Converts carboxylic acid to ester
The opposite direction is called hydrolysis, and it uses H2O + H+ to go from ester to carboxylic acid (acidic conditions).

saponification
Converts ester to carboxylic acid under basic conditions
Reagents: NaOH + ROH + H+

transesterification
Converts one ester to another.

grignard reactants summary
Acid chlorides, acid anhydrides, and esters make tertiary alcohols.
Carboxylic acids and amides don’t work.
The mechanism involves nucleophilic acyl substitution and the nucleophilic addition.
reducing ester to aldehyde
Reagents: DIBAL-H, -70o C + H2O

reducing acid chloride to aldehyde
Reagents: LTBA + H2O

Hofmann rearrangement
Happens when converting primary amide to primary amine.
Reagents: Br2 + NaOH
Removes a carbon in the process

nitrile formation
Alkyl halide can be converted to nitrile through an SN2 mechanism
Reagent: CN-

nitrile reduction
Converts nitrile to primary amine
Reagents: LiAlH4 + H3O+

nitrile hydrolysis
Converts a nitrile to a carboxylic acid
Reagents: NaOH + heat + H3O+ or H3O+ + heat

cyanohydrin formation
Converts a ketone or aldehyde to a cyanohydrin
Reagents: NaCN + HCN

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