Carboxylic acids and related compounds

Read our general notes on Risk Assessment

What are the products of the reaction between ethanedioic acid and sodium hydroxide?

Rev answers
 
This is a reaction of an acid with an alkali to form a a salt and water. Ethanedoic acid is 'diprotic' - each molecule can donate two protons. So there are two possible products. Here is the product if you add 2 mol NaOH to 1 mol of the acid. What is the other possible product?
 
COOH                            COONa
|        +     2NaOH   ->   |           +   2H₂O
COOH                            COONa
 
                                    disodium ethanedioate

Risk assessment
Before attempting any practical work based on the advice and suggestions on this website, you must do the following. Identify any hazards, assess the risks from these hazards, and then decide appropriate control measures to reduce the risks. You must have these approved by those in authority in your school or college laboratory. Do not rely on what is said on this website. For further guidance see our tutorial on Risk Assessment.

back to Carboxylic acids and related compounds

---

Rate this page or react
Share your views on this page, 12 ratings so far , rated at

---

updated: 21 August 2003