Question

Arrange the following in decreasing order of their acidic strength. Give explanation for the arrangement.
`C_(6)H_(5)COOH, FCH_(2)COOH, NO_(2)CH_(2)COOH`

Answer 1

The decreasing order of their acidic strength
`NO_(2)CH_(2)COOHgtFCH_(2)COOHgtC_(6)H_(5)COOH`
Acidic strength decreases as the number of electron withdrawing substituent(s) linked to `alpha`-carbon atom or carboxylic group of carboxylic acid decreases. Electron withdrawing ability of `NO_(2), F" and "C_(6)H_(5)` are as follows
`-NO_(2)gt-FgtC_(6)H_(5)-`