butanoic acid

Thân thiện

A small bottle of butanoic acid sits on a laboratory shelf.

Definition

Noun: 1. A fatty acid with an unpleasant smell: A clear, colorless, oily liquid carboxylic acid with the chemical formula C₄H₈O₂. It is characterized by a strong, rancid odor and is found naturally in various animal fats and plant oils, most notably in butter.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The distinctive smell of rancid butter is largely due to the presence of butanoic acid.
  • Butanoic acid is used as a flavoring agent in some foods and in the production of esters for perfumes.
  • In the laboratory, we synthesized butanoic acid from its corresponding alcohol.

Advanced Usage

• Biochemical Context: In biochemistry, butanoic acid is noted as a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced by bacterial fermentation of dietary fiber in the colon.
  • Butanoic acid produced by gut microbiota is an important energy source for colon cells.
• Industrial Context: It is an important chemical feedstock, often referred to by its common name, butyric acid, in industrial settings.
  • The ester derived from butanoic acid is used to give a fruity note to some fragrances.

Variants and Related Words

• Butyric acid: This is the most common synonym and the name typically used in biological and industrial contexts.
• Butanoate (n): The salt or ester form of butanoic acid.
  • Sodium butanoate is used as a food preservative.
• Butyrate (n): The salt or ester form of butyric acid, frequently used in nutritional and medical literature.
  • Calcium butyrate is sometimes taken as a dietary supplement.

Synonyms

• Butyric acid
• Propylformic acid (systematic name)
• Ethylacetic acid

Related Phrases / Terms

• Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA): The class of carboxylic acids to which butanoic acid belongs, along with acetic acid and propionic acid.
• Rancid odor: The characteristic, unpleasant smell associated with butanoic acid.

Học thuật

Noun

1. an unpleasant smelling fatty acid found especially in butter

Từ đồng nghĩa

• butyric acid