ethanoic acid
A scientist carefully pours ethanoic acid into a beaker during an experiment.
- Noun:
- A colorless pungent liquid widely used in manufacturing plastics and pharmaceuticals: "Ethanoic acid" is the systematic IUPAC name for the organic acid commonly known as acetic acid. It is a weak acid characterized by its sharp, vinegar-like smell and is a key industrial chemical and biological metabolite.
- Noun:
- The laboratory procedure requires pure ethanoic acid.
- Vinegar contains approximately 5% ethanoic acid.
- The production of the polymer involves ethanoic acid as a precursor.
In chemical nomenclature: "Ethanoic acid" is the formal name used in scientific contexts to precisely identify the two-carbon carboxylic acid (CH₃COOH).
- The compound was identified by spectroscopy as ethanoic acid.
In industrial contexts: Refers to the concentrated, glacial form of the acid used as a solvent and reagent.
- The plant specializes in the production of glacial ethanoic acid.
Acetic acid (n): The common name for ethanoic acid.
- Acetic acid is the main component of vinegar.
Acetate (n): A salt or ester of ethanoic acid.
- Sodium acetate is a common buffer in chemistry.
Carboxylic acid (n): The broader class of organic compounds to which ethanoic acid belongs.
- Ethanoic acid is a simple example of a carboxylic acid.
- Acetic acid: The most common synonym, especially in commercial and biological contexts.
Glacial ethanoic acid: Refers to the pure, water-free form of the acid which solidifies into ice-like crystals at cool temperatures.
- The reaction must be carried out in glacial ethanoic acid.
Ethanoic anhydride (n): An important derivative formed from two molecules of ethanoic acid, used in acetylation reactions.
- Ethanoic anhydride is used in the synthesis of aspirin.
A scientist carefully pours ethanoic acid into a beaker during an experiment.
- a colorless pungent liquid widely used in manufacturing plastics and pharmaceuticals