Acetic Acid

General description

Acetic acid is an aliphatic organic acid.[1] It is a hygroscopic, corrosive liquid with a vinegar-like odor.[1][2] It can be synthesized by oxidizing acetaldehyde in the presence of manganese or cobalt salts.[2] It is utilized for synthesizing acetic anhydride, cellulose acetate and acetic esters.[2] Its impact on the degradation of historic paper has been analyzed.[3]

Application

Acetic acid (AcOH) can be used as:

A reaction solvent in many organic reactions such as bromination, hydrolysis, solvolysis, reductions, and hydrogenations.

A reagent in the protonolysis of organometallic compounds.

An acetylating agent for the acetylation of electron-rich aromatic compounds.

A catalyst to synthesize di(indolyl)methanes by the condensation reaction of indole and aromatic aldehydes.

A solvent system to prepare3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one derivative via Biginelli reaction of aromatic aldehydes, 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, and urea in the presence of a boric acid catalyst.

Acetic acid can also be used in the following:

Manganese(III) acetate/AcOH catalytic system is used in the conversion of alkenes to lactones.

Iron salts/AcOH is used to oxidize 2-methylnaphthalene to 2-methyl-1-naphthol in the presence of H2O2.

Features and Benefits

Good stability towards many reagents

Excellent solubility of organic compounds in this reagent

Legal Information

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