Question

The acidic nature of carboxylic acids is due to

• A. high degree of ionization of the acid
• B. greater resonance stabilization of the acid
• C. greater resonance stabilization of carboxylate ion
• D. all the above

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

greater resonance stabilization of carboxylate ion

The carboxylic acids are acidic in nature because hydrogen belongs in the $-COOH$ group. Carboxylic acids dissociate in water to form carboxylate ion and hydronium ion. The carboxylate ion formed is stabilized through resonance by effective delocalization of the negative charge.

Hence option (C) is correct.