2-41
The 0-H hydrogen in acetic acid is more acidic than any of the C-H
hydrogens. Explain this result using resonance structures.
O=U
H
-H
Acetic acid
\"
HH
:0:
:0:
II
C
H-c
H-C
H-
C=0
H
H
H
H
H
H
The O-H hydrogen of acetic acid is more acidic than the C-H hydrogens. The-OH oxygen
is electronegative, and, consequently, the-O-H bond is more strongly polarized than the
-C-H bonds. In addition, the acetate anion is stabilized by resonance.
