Carboxylic acids are organic chemical compounds that contain one or more carboxyl group (-COOH).The oxygen atom is attached to the carbon by a double bond, while the OH is attached to the carbon atom with a single bond. The carboxyl group is joined to another hydrogen atom or to one end of an organic compound. Because the bond between the carboxyl group and the hydrogen atom are highly polar (having distinct positive and negative regions that do not overlap), many carboxylic acids are water soluble and have higher boiling points than alcohols. Solutions of many carboxylic acids have a sour taste to them, a characteristic of many acids. Carboxylic acids also react with alkalis, or bases. Generally, however, carboxylic acids are not as chemically active as the nonorganic mineral acids, such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid.

Carboxylic acids that have very long, unbranched chains...