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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Gameofketones on November 08, 2018, 11:38:25 AM

Title: Inductive effect applications
Post by: Gameofketones on November 08, 2018, 11:38:25 AM

In chloroacetic acid, why is there inductive effect only due to chlorine when carboxylic acid acts as much more stronger electron withdrawing group. In the text books the arrow is shown towards chlorine but why not on both the ew groups?

Title: Re: Inductive effect applications
Post by: Babcock_Hall on November 12, 2018, 11:51:26 AM

Usually this example comes up in discussions of how the inductive effect changes pK_a, and there is a comparison versus acetic acid.  Perhaps to emphasize this difference, only the inductive effect of chlorine is shown, but the carboxylic acid group effect is there in both molecules and could be shown.

Title: Re: Inductive effect applications
Post by: Gameofketones on November 12, 2018, 12:23:58 PM

Thank you. That was really helpful :)