Question

Why is $\mathrm{COOH}$ electron-withdrawing?

Answer 1

Carboxylic acid:

• An organic acid with a carboxyl group connected to an $\mathrm{R}-$group is known as a carboxylic acid.
• A carboxylic acid's general formula is $\mathrm{R}-\mathrm{COOH}$, where R denotes the alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, or other groups.

Electron-withdrawing:

• The initial pKa of the carboxylic acid functional group is significantly lower than that of Acetic acid because it is a potent electron-withdrawing group.
• The second pKa is significantly greater than that of acetic acid because the carboxylate anion has a considerably less ability to remove electrons.
• Because carboxylic acid is a better acid than alcohol, it produces a more stable ion because it lacks a proton.
• When attached to a carbon atom, some atoms or groups are electron-withdrawing, in contrast to a hydrogen atom in the same place.
• The $\mathrm{COOH}$ group is deactivating, which means electrophilic replacements occur less frequently than for benzene itself, and meta-directing, which means the incoming individual will join the $\mathrm{COOH}$ group in a meta location rather than an ortho position.

Hence, $\mathrm{COOH}$ is electron-withdrawing.