Solubility - Physical charterstics of monocarboxylic acids      

The lower most members of the aliphatic carboxylic acid family (upto C₄) are extensively soluble in water. The solubility goes down along with the gain in the size of the alkyl group. Each and every carboxylic acid is soluble in ether, benzene and alcohol etc.

a. The solubility of lower most members of carboxylic acids is because of the formation of hydrogen bonds among the - COOH group and water molecules.

b. Acetic acid available in the solution in dimer form due to intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The examined molecular mass of acetic acid is 120 in place of 60.