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In orthohydroxybenzoic acid intramolecular forces operate which I believe tend to lock the position thereby making acidic H not available for release whereas in parahydroxybenzoic acid there in no intramolecular force so h is relatively more available so I believe that para should be more acidic than ortho but the answer is reverse


Why is ortho-hydroxybenzoic acid more acidic than its para-isomer? this qo. Though talks about it but does not resolve my query

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    $\begingroup$ Please structure your question, it gives the reader a headache. It would say it is one sentence, except it isn't, it is a typed down stream of thoughts. $\endgroup$
    – Karl
    Nov 2, 2020 at 8:26

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I think the below scheme depicts well how the intramolecular hydrogen bonding more favours the collapse of the carboxylic O—H bond in the orthohydroxybenzoic acid than in the parahydroxybenzoic acid. enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ This is correct but the dictionary is quite personal. One has to say that the conjugated base in the ortho isomer is stabilised by a H bridge bond, involving a relatively stable 6 members ring. $\endgroup$
    – Alchimista
    Nov 2, 2020 at 12:09

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