Question:
Arrange the following in decreasing order of their acidic strength. Explain the arrangement.
C6H5COOH, FCH2COOH, NO2CH2COOH
Solution:
NO2CH2COOH > FCH2COOH > C6H5COOH.
NO2CH2COOH is most acidic among the given three compounds. Electron withdrawing groups like -NO2, increases the acidity of carboxylic acids by stabilizing the conjugate base through resonance effects