Carboxylic acids serve as starting material for several other
important organic compounds such as anhydrides, esters, acid chlorides,
amides, etc Since carboxylic acids are amongst the earliest organic compounds to
be isolated from nature, a large number of them are known by their
common names The common names end with the suffix –ic acid and
have been derived from Latin or Greek names of their natural sources For example, formic acid (HCOOH) was first obtained from red ants
(Latin: formica means ant), acetic acid (CH3COOH) from vinegar (Latin:
acetum, means vinegar), butyric acid (CH3CH2CH2COOH) from rancid
butter (Latin: butyrum, means butter)