Organic Chemistry Question

[E. coli]

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One of the DAT achiever's answer says that carboxylic acid can react with ammonia to form amide and water.

Isn't this incorrect because carboxylic acid and ammonia would undergo acid base reaction, and therefore would only produce carboxylate ion and protonated ammonia?

Can someone clarify this?

 

[EyeAmCommi]

One of the DAT achiever's answer says that carboxylic acid can react with ammonia to form amide and water.

Isn't this incorrect because carboxylic acid and ammonia would undergo acid base reaction, and therefore would only produce carboxylate ion and protonated ammonia?

Can someone clarify this?

The double bonded oxygen on the carboxylic acid takes the electrons from the double bond when ammonia attacks the carbon. What happens to the electrons is this: 1) ammonia donates electrons to the carbon, sacrificing a hydrogen, 2) the carbon oxygen double bond sends its electrons to the oxygen.

Now we have an ammonia attached to the carb acid. The electrons from the oxygen go down to the carbon and push out the -OH group. This leaves behind an amide.

I hope this helps. DAT achiever is correct.