Which among the following is dicarboxylic acid?

Which among the following is dicarboxylic acid?
  1. Valeric acid
  2. Caproic acid
  3. Glutaric acid
  4. Butyric acid

Solution

To identify the dicarboxylic acid, we examine the carboxyl group count for each compound.

Valeric acid (pentanoic acid) has formula $\text{CH}_3(\text{CH}_2)_3\text{COOH}$, containing one carboxyl group and is thus monocarboxylic.

Caproic acid (hexanoic acid) is $\text{CH}_3(\text{CH}_2)_4\text{COOH}$, also monocarboxylic.

Glutaric acid (pentanedioic acid) has structure $\text{HOOC}(\text{CH}_2)_3\text{COOH}$, with two carboxyl groups, making it dicarboxylic.

Butyric acid (butanoic acid) is $\text{CH}_3(\text{CH}_2)_2\text{COOH}$, again monocarboxylic.

The dicarboxylic acid is glutaric acid.

Asked in: MHT CET 2025 (05 May Shift 2)

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