What is the order of acid strength among ethanoic acid, chloroethanoic acid, and trichloroethanoic acid?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Trichloroethanoic acid > Chloroethanoic acid > Ethanoic acid pathway
Electronegative chlorine atoms exert strong electron-withdrawing inductive effects (-I), dispersing negative charge in the carboxylate conjugate base and stabilizing it. More chlorines mean greater stability: Cl3CCOOH (pKa 0.65) > ClCH2COOH (pKa 2.87) > CH3COOH (pKa 4.76).
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