carbo(xy)lic acids

mollykins | 11:29 Wed 19th May 2010 | Science

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whats the difference between carbolic and carboxylic acids?

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Carbolic acid is a specific acid. Carboxylic acids can take many forms.

carboxylic acid = any organic compound containing the carboxy group (—COOH), including amino and fatty acids.

carbolic acid (C6H5OH) = a poisonous, colourless to pale pink crystalline compound obtained from coal tar distillation or oxidation of cumene, and converted to a clear liquid with a strong odor and burning taste by the addition of 10% water. In solution it is a powerful disinfectant. Also called hydroxybenzene, oxybenzene, phenic acid, phenol, phenylic acid, phenylic alcohol.

mollykins

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ahhhh, thanks, its jsut that we learnt about carboxylic acids in chemistry and then in history, about carbolic acids and i didn't know if the history teacher (who admits he is useless at science and doesn't understand any of the science behind what he is teaching us about medicine through time,) was getting them confused. thanks for clearing it up.

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