Science and Technology for UPSC Examinations [Chemistry] Part 20- Carbonyl Compounds – Carboxylic acids

Carboxylic acids are a class of organic compounds which contain carboxyl group (–COOH) as the functional group. This group is structurally represented as follows:

Common names of monocarboxylic acids have been derived from the Latin name of the products / organisms in which they are found naturally. For example,

• Formic Acid HCOOH is found in the sting of Ants. Ants are called Formica in Latin.
• Acetic Acid CH₃COOH is found in Vinegar. Vinegar is called Acetum in Latin.
• Butyric Acid CH₃CH₂CH₂COOH is found in Butter. Butter is called butyrum in Latin

Acetic Acid

Acetic acid is the second member of the carboxylic acid series after Formic Acid. The formula of acetic acid is CH3COOH and the IUPAC name of acetic acid is ethanoic acid. A dilute solution of acetic acid in water is called vinegar. Vinegar contains 6 to 10% acetic acid. Acetic acid is manufactured in the form of vinegar by the bacterial oxidation of ethanol. Ethanol is oxidised by the oxygen in air in the presence of Bacterium mycoderma aceti to form a dilute solution of acetic acid called vinegar.

Acetic Acid is an important chemical reagent and industrial chemical, mainly used in the production of cellulose acetate mainly for photographic film and polyvinyl acetate for wood glue, as well as synthetic fibres and fabrics. In households, diluted acetic acid is often used in descaling agents. In the food industry, acetic acid is used under the food additive code E260 as an acidity regulator and as a condiment. The major use of acetic acid is for the production of vinyl acetate monomer (VAM). VAM is further polymerized to polyvinyl acetate or to other polymers, which are components in paints and adhesives. The acetates of metals such as Sodium, Magnesium etc. have wide usage such as preservatives, food inudustry, fungicides, dyes etc.