Chemistry – Organic chemistry - Carboxylic acids | e-Consult

Ethanoic acid reacts with carbonates to produce a salt, water and carbon dioxide gas. The general equation for the reaction is:

• CH₃COOH(aq) + CaCO₃(s) → Ca(CH₃COO)₂(aq) + H₂O(l) + CO₂(g)

Where CaCO₃ represents calcium carbonate. For example, with calcium carbonate:

CH₃COOH(aq) + CaCO₃(s) → Ca(CH₃COO)₂(aq) + H₂O(l) + CO₂(g)

The salt produced is calcium ethanoate (Ca(CH₃COO)₂). The reaction produces a gas (carbon dioxide) because the carbonate ion (CO₃^2-) is unstable in acidic solutions. The acid protonates the carbonate ion, leading to the formation of carbonic acid (H₂CO₃), which then decomposes into water and carbon dioxide.