Determining Functional groups - carboxylic acid, ester etc

[Davs]

Homework Statement

What functional groups are present based on the compound's names?
A. Methyl Hydroxybenzoate
B. 2-Hydroxypropanoic acid

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

We've learned about the basic Hydrocarbon derivatives in class, but only dealing with problems
like propanoic acid or methanoic acid, methyl propanoate or ethyl methanoate. These I fully understand them, but I can't quite understand how to disassemble this problem and find it's functional groups.
Any help with be appreciated.

- David

 

[danago]

I reckon the best way would be to have a look a table of prefixes/suffixes for different functional groups and see if you can match them to the names above. Do you have an organic chemistry textbook? Most textbooks seem to have a table of the common functional groups. If not, then you could use this (though this table is probably more extensive than what you need):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_group#Table_of_common_functional_groups

 

[Davs]

Hmm, I'll take a look at the list. Is there any other other way of breaking down the compound names? I know hydroxy is referring to -OH and I know the formula for propanoic acid is:
O
||
CH3-CH2-CH2-C-OH

edit: can't post this thing right.. the the carbonyl is between CH2 and OH

 

[chemisttree]

Your structure is wrong. You have butanoic acid there. Propionic acid has only 3 carbons. You also dropped the 2-hydroxy group.

 

[Davs]

I didn't clarify which one I was talking about oops. I was referring to 2-Hydroxypropanoic acid
Said that the -OH (Hydroxy) combined with propanoic acid to form the above acid.

 

[Borek]

It doesn't help, as chemisttree wrote your structure is that of butanoic acid and has nothing to do with 2-hydroxypropanoic acid.