Carboxylic acid derivative

Definition

Carboxylic acid derivatives are compounds that contain a functional group which is a modified form of the carboxylic acid group (–COOH), where the hydroxyl part (-OH) is replaced by another atom or group of atoms. These derivatives undergo nucleophilic acyl substitution reactions, where an electron-rich nucleophile attacks the carbonyl carbon, leading to the substitution of the leaving group.

Related terms

Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution: A chemical reaction in which a nucleophile attacks an acyl compound, resulting in the replacement of a leaving group attached to the acyl carbon.

Acyl Group: An organic functional group represented by –COR', where "R'" can be any alkyl or aryl substituent; it's derived from a carboxylic acid by removing the hydroxyl (-OH) group.

Leaving Group: A substituent that departs from a molecule during a chemical reaction, taking with it an electron pair and typically making way for the addition of another substituent