Carboxylic acids have higher boiling points and melting points than other compounds of the same molar mass. Carboxylic acids with low molar masses are colorless liquids. All aromatic carboxylic acids are solids at room temperature. Methanoic acid, ethanoic acid, propanoic acid, and butanoic acid are soluble in water. All others are much less soluble.
Carboxylic acids are generally created when alcohols or aldehydes are oxidized. This generally happens with a potassium dichromate (IV) solution in the presence of sulfuric acid. The formula for carboxylic acids is RCOOH.
