What is formed when carboxylic acids react with metals and metal carbonates?

1 Answer
Ernest Z.
Nov 1, 2015

Carboxylic acids react with active metals to form hydrogen and metal carboxylates, and they react with metal carbonates to give metal carboxylates, carbon dioxide, and water.

Explanation:

With active metals

An active metal reacts with an acid to produce a salt and hydrogen.

For example, acetic acid reacts with magnesium according to the equation

#2underbrace("CH"_3"COOH")_color(red)("carboxylic acid") + underbrace("Mg")_color(red)("metal") → underbrace(("CH"_3"COO")_2"Mg")_color(red)("metal carboxylate") + underbrace("H"_2)_color(red)("hydrogen") #

Carboxylic acids are weak acids, so the reaction may be slow, but it will occur.

With metal carbonates

A metal carbonate reacts with an acid to produce a salt, carbon dioxide, and water.

For example, acetic acid reacts with sodium carbonate according to the equation

#2underbrace("CH"_3"COOH")_color(red)("carboxylic acid") + underbrace("Na"_2"CO"_3)_color(red)("metal carbonate") → 2underbrace("CH"_3"COONa")_color(red)("metal carboxylate") + underbrace("CO"_2)_color(red)("carbon dioxide") + underbrace("H"_2"O")_color(red)("water") #

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