Carboxylic acids can undergo reduction reactions. Reduction is the opposite of oxidation. For example, ethanoic acid (CH 3 COOH) can be formed by the oxidation of ethanol as shown below.

A carboxylic acid is one which contains -COOH as its functional group. In comparison to mineral acids, carboxylic acids show some similarities, but also, some important differences.

THE catalytic effect of small amounts of pyridine in the reaction between thionyl chloride and carboxylic acids is well known; Carré and Libermann 1 have shown further that it is of great ...