Why 2-chloropropanoic acid is less acidic than 2-floropropanoic acid ?

2-chloropropanoic acid is less acidic than 2-fluoropropanoic acid because fluorine is more electronegative than chlorine. The presence of a highly electronegative fluorine atom in 2-fluoropropanoic acid stabilizes the negative charge on the carboxylate ion formed upon deprotonation, making it easier for the acid to donate a proton and thus increasing its acidity. In contrast, the less electronegative chlorine atom in 2-chloropropanoic acid is not as effective at stabilizing the negative charge, resulting in lower acidity.

2-chloropropanoic acid is less acidic than 2-fluoropropanoic acid because the electronegativity of chlorine is less than that of fluorine.

Electronegativity is the ability of an atom to attract electrons towards itself. More electronegative atoms attract electrons more strongly, making the bond between the atom and the hydrogen atom more polar.

In the case of 2-chloropropanoic acid and 2-fluoropropanoic acid, the chlorine atom is less electronegative than the fluorine atom. This means that the chlorine atom attracts electrons less strongly than the fluorine atom, making the bond between the chlorine atom and the hydrogen atom less polar.

As a result, the hydrogen atom in 2-chloropropanoic acid is less likely to be removed, making the acid less acidic than 2-fluoropropanoic acid.