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Acetic acid, also known as ethanoic acid, is an organic chemical compound responsible for the sour taste and pungent odour of vinegar. Pure water-free acetic acid (glacial acetic acid) is a colourless hygroscopic liquid that freezes to a colourless crystalline solid at temperatures below 16.7 °C (62 °F).
Although it is a weak acid based on its ability to dissociate in aqueous solutions, acetic acid is corrosive and its vapour is irritating to the eyes and nose. Acetic acid is one of the most fundamental carboxylic acids (the second-simplest, next to formic acid). It is an important chemical reagent and industrial chemical used in the production of polyethylene terephthalate, which is primarily used in soft drink bottles; cellulose acetate, which is primarily used in photographic film; and polyvinyl acetate, which is used in wood glue and many synthetic fibres and fabrics.
In most homes, diluted acetic acid is used as a descaling agent. Acetic acid is used as an acidity regulator in the food industry under the food additive code E260.
What is Acetic acid?
Acetic acid is a carboxylic acid that has been synthesised. It has two carbon atoms and is a monocarboxylic acid. It is a clear, colourless organic liquid with a strong vinegar odour. is an acetic acid and water solution containing 5% to 20% acetic acid by volume. Glacial acetic acid is an undiluted acetic acid solution. When the temperature falls below 16 degrees Celsius, it forms ice-like crystals.
Ethanoic acid is the IUPAC name for acetic acid. Although its formal name is ethanoic acid, it is more commonly known as acetic acid, which is derived from the Latin word acetum, which means vinegar.
Chemical Reactivity of Acetic acid with Water
CH3CO2H + H2O ⇄ CH3CO2− + H3O+.
The TPS technique was used to sample more transition trajectories, with the metadynamics trajectory serving as the starting point.
Uses of Acetic acid
Acetic acid has a wide range of applications. The following are some of the most common applications for acetic acid:
- It is used in the production of dyes, plastics, silk, perfumes, and other products.
- It’s also a type of table vinegar.
- In medicine, it is used as a local irritant.
- In the rubber industry, it is used as a coagulation agent.
- It is required for the synthesis of acetone, acetate, esters, and other compounds.
- It is critical for the production of VAM (vinyl acetate monomer).
- It is also used in cancer treatment.
- Because of its desirable solvent properties and ability to form miscible mixtures with both polar and nonpolar compounds, it is an important industrial solvent. As a result, it is widely used in large-scale or industrial production of dimethyl terephthalate (DMT).
- It is also used as a disinfectant against microbes.
Physical properties of Acetic acid:
- They have a colourless liquid with a strong odour.
- At STP, it has a melting point of 289K and a boiling point of 391K.
- It has a molar mass of 60.052 g/mol and a density of 1.049 g.cm-3 in liquid form.
- It is a liquid polar, protic solvent with a dielectric constant of 6.2.
- It is highly corrosive. As a result, when it comes into contact with the skin, it can cause blisters.
Chemical properties of Acetic acid:
- Acetic acid’s carboxyl functional group can cause ionisation of compounds such as CH3COOH.
- Acetic acid’s acidic quality is caused by the release of a proton as a result of ionisation.
- In a water solution, its acid dissociation constant (pKa) is 4.76.
- Acetate is its conjugate base (CH3COO-).
- Because the pH of its 1.0M concentration solution is 2.4, it does not completely dissociate.
Conclusion
Acetic acid, also known as ethanoic acid, is an organic chemical compound responsible for the sour taste and pungent odour of vinegar. Although it is a weak acid based on its ability to dissociate in aqueous solutions, acetic acid is corrosive and its vapour is irritating to the eyes and nose. Acetic acid is one of the most fundamental carboxylic acids (the second-simplest, next to formic acid). It is a clear, colourless organic liquid with a strong vinegar odour.is an acetic acid and water solution containing 5% to 20% acetic acid by volume. Glacial acetic acid is an undiluted acetic acid solution. Ethanoic acid is the IUPAC name for acetic acid. Acetic acid has a wide range of applications. It is used in the production of dyes, plastics, silk, perfumes, and other products. In the rubber industry, it is used as a coagulation agent. Acetic acid’s acidic quality is caused by the release of a proton as a result of ionisation.
