Carboxylic acid derivatives

Definition

Carboxylic acid derivatives are compounds that feature a functional group derived from the substitution of the hydroxyl (-OH) group in carboxylic acids with other atoms or groups of atoms. They retain the carbonyl (C=O) group but differ in the atom or group attached to the acyl moiety.

Related terms

Carboxylic Acids: Organic compounds characterized by a carboxyl group (-COOH), which consists of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom and single-bonded to a hydroxyl group.

Amides: A type of carboxylic acid derivative where the -OH group is replaced with an amino group (-NH2), including molecules where the nitrogen atom may be part of a ring structure.

Esters: Organic compounds derived from carboxylic acids in which the hydrogen of the hydroxyl group is replaced with an alkyl or aryl group, often resulting from reactions between acids and alcohols