Topic 11Carboxylic Acid Derivatives

Carboxylic acid derivatives result from replacing the OH of the carboxyl group with another group L: an alkoxide in esters, a nitrogen in amides, a halogen in acyl halides and a carboxylate in anhydrides. Their reactivity depends on how the L group donates or withdraws electrons from the carbonyl. Nitriles, with the same oxidation state, are studied with them.