Carboxylic acid Carboxylic acid A carboxylic acid is an organic compound that contains a carboxyl group (C(=O)OH). The general formula of a carboxylic acid is R–COOH, with R referring to the rest of the (possibly quite large) molecule. Carboxylic acids occur widely and include the amino acids (which make up proteins) and acetic acid (which is part of vinegar and occurs in metabolism). Salts and esters of carboxylic acids are called carboxylates. When a carboxyl group is deprotonated, its conjugate base forms a carboxylate anion. Carboxylate ions are resonance-stabilized, and this increased stability makes carboxylic acids more acidic than alcohols, along with
Nitrosylsulfuric acid Nitrosylsulfuric acid Nitrosylsulfuric acid is the chemical compound with the formula NOHSO. It is a colourless solid that is used industrially in the production of caprolactam, and was formerly part of the lead chamber process for producing sulfuric acid. The compound is the mixed anhydride of sulfuric acid and nitrous acid. In organic chemistry, it is used as a reagent for nitrosating, as a diazotizing agent, and as an oxidizing agent. A typical procedure entails dissolving sodium nitrite in cold sulfuric acid: It can also be prepared by the reaction of nitric acid and sulfur dioxide. NOHSO is used in