Naming carboxylic acids and esters

Carboxylic acids

Carboxylic acids contain the carboxyl functional group (-COOH). The carboxyl group will never have a position number in a carboxylic acid, as it is always on the end of the carbon chain.

Carboxylic acids end in '-oic acid'.

The basic rules of naming apply.

For example:

Esters

An ester is made from an alcohol and a carboxylic acid.

Esters have their own rules for naming.

The first part of the name comes from the alcohol, and it ends with the letters '-yl'.

The second part of the name comes from the carboxylic acid, and it ends with the letters '-oate'.

For example:

It is also possible to form names from structures.

The ester is divided between the carbon and oxygen in the ester functional group.

The acid part contains the carbonyl group.

For example:

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