What type of reactions do carboxylic acids have?

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The four main types of reactions of carboxylic acids are chiefly due to either the weak acidity of the hydroxyl hydrogen or to the difference in electronegativity between carbon and oxygen. One type involves cleavage of the hydroxyl oxygen-hydrogen bond, e.g., reaction with an alcohol to form an ester or reaction with an alkali to form a water-soluble salt. A second type involves addition of an electron-rich species to the electron-deficient carbon atom of the carboxyl group. A third type is characterized by the joining of a carbon atom directly to the carboxyl group. A fourth type involves the loss of carbon dioxide (decarboxylation).