Carboxýlhópur

Carboxýlhópur is the Icelandic term for the carboxyl group, a functional group in organic chemistry. It consists of a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to a hydroxyl group (-OH). The general formula for a carboxyl group is -COOH. This arrangement gives the carboxyl group its characteristic acidic properties.

When a carboxyl group is present in a molecule, it typically renders that molecule an organic acid. The hydrogen atom of the hydroxyl group is weakly acidic and can be donated as a proton (H+), forming a carboxylate anion (-COO-). This dissociation is what makes carboxylic acids reactive and able to participate in various chemical reactions, such as salt formation and esterification.

Carboxylic acids are ubiquitous in nature. They are found in many biological molecules, including amino acids, where they are part of the amino acid side chain or the backbone structure. Fatty acids, which are long hydrocarbon chains with a terminal carboxyl group, are fundamental components of lipids. Carboxýlhópur also appears in many important industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The presence of this functional group significantly influences the physical and chemical properties of the molecule it is attached to, affecting solubility, boiling point, and reactivity.