Carboxylation

By treating a substrate with carbon dioxide, a carboxylic acid is created in the process of carboxylation. Decarboxylation is the opposite process. When referring to the reaction of carbanionic reagents with CO2, the terms carbonation and carboxylation can be used interchangeably in chemistry. In a broader sense, carbonation often refers to the creation of carbonates. In organic chemistry, carboxylation is a common conversion. In particular, a traditional method for converting organic halides into carboxylic acids involves carbonation of Grignard reagents and organolithium compounds. Sodium phenolate, the sodium salt of phenol, is treated with carbon dioxide at high pressure (100 atm) and high temperature (390 K) in a process known as the Kolbe-Schmitt reaction to produce sodium salicylate, the precursor of aspirin. the resultant salicylate salt is acidified and gives salicylic acid.