Question

Which of the following compounds contains the -COOH (carboxylic) group?

• A. Aspirin
• B. Ethanol
• C. Acetone
• D. Formaldehyde

Hint:

Carboxylic acids contain the -COOH group. Look for both a carbonyl (C=O) and hydroxyl (-OH) group on the same carbon.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The -COOH group, known as the carboxylic acid group, consists of a carbon atom double bonded to an oxygen atom and single bonded to a hydroxyl group (-OH).
Now, let's evaluate the compounds:
Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) contains a carboxylic acid group attached to a benzene ring along with an ester group. Therefore, it has a -COOH group.
Ethanol (CH\(_3\)CH\(_2\)OH) has only a hydroxyl group (-OH), not a -COOH.
Acetone (CH\(_3\)COCH\(_3\)) is a ketone, having a carbonyl group (C=O) but no -COOH.
Formaldehyde (HCHO) is an aldehyde with a -CHO group, not -COOH.
Hence, among the given options, only Aspirin contains the carboxylic acid (-COOH) group.