The Acidic Environment > 5. Esterification >
Describe the differences between the alkanol and alkanoic acid functional groups in carbon compounds
- Functional group: An atom or a group of atoms that reacts in a characteristic way when in different carbon compounds.
- Alkanol: An alkane containing a hydroxy/alcohol functional group (–OH) in place of a hydrogen atom, which gives the molecule high melting and boiling points.
- Alkanols have the following general formula:
![](https://easychem.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Alkanol-Formula.png)
- Alkanols have the following general structure (where R is an alkyl group or a hydrogen atom):
![](https://easychem.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Alkanol-Structure.png)
- Methanol (CH3OH) is the simplest alkanol.
- Alkanoic acid: An alkane containing carboxylic acid functional group (–COOH) in place of three hydrogen atoms, which can lose a hydrogen ion and behave as a weak acid.
- Alkanoic acids have the following general formula:
![](https://easychem.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Alkanoic-Acid-Formula.png)
- Alkanols have the following general structure (where R is an alkyl group or a hydrogen atom):
![](https://easychem.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Alkanoic-Acid-Structure.png)
- Methanoic acid (HCOOH) is the simplest alkanoic acid.