-oate
# -oate

The suffix -oate is the IUPAC nomenclature used in organic chemistry to form names of compounds formed from carboxylic acids. They are of two types:

* Formed by replacing the hydrogen atom in the –COOH by some other radical, usually an alkyl or aryl radical forming an ester. For example, methyl benzoate is a molecular compound with the structure $C_6H_5–CO–O–CH_3,$ and its condensed structural formula usually written as $C_6H_5COOCH_3.$
* Formed by removing the hydrogen atom in the –COOH, producing an anion, which joins with a cation forming a salt. For example, the sodium benzoate is an ionic compound with the structure $C_6H_5–CO–O^−$ $Na^+,$ and its condensed structural formula usually written as $C_6H_5CO_2Na.$

The suffix comes from "-oic acid".

The most common examples of compounds named with the "oate" suffix are esters, like ethyl acetate, CH $_3COOCH$ $_2CH$ $_3.$

