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Acetic anhydride
Acetic anhydride Acetic anhydride
General
Systematic name	Ethanoyl ethanoate
Other names	Acetic anhydride Acetic acid anhydride Acetylacetate Acetyl oxide Acetic oxide Ethanoic anhydride
Molecular formula	C4H6O3
SMILES	CC(=O)OC(=O)C
Molecular mass	102.1 g/mol
Appearance	clear liquid
CAS number	[108-24-7]
Properties
Density and phase	1.08 g/cm³, liquid
Solubility in water	2.6% by weight; rapidly reacts to form acetic acid
Melting point	−73.1 °C
Boiling point	139.8 °C
Dipole moment	? D
Hazards
MSDS	External MSDS
EU classification	Corrosive ('C')
NFPA 704
R-phrases	, ,
S-phrases	, , ,
Flash point	54 °C
RTECS number	AK1925000
Supplementary data page
Structure and properties	''n'', εr, etc.
Thermodynamic data	Phase behaviour Solid, liquid, gas
Spectral data	UV, IR, NMR, MS
Related compounds
Related acid anhydrides	Propionic anhydride
Related compounds	Acetic acid Acetyl chloride
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

'Acetic anhydride' is the chemical compound with the formula (CH₃CO)₂O. Commonly abbreviated Ac₂O, it is one of the simplest acid anhydrides and is a widely used reagent in organic synthesis. It is a colorless liquid that smells strongly of acetic acid, which is formed by its reaction with the moisture in the air.

Contents

Production

Uses

Hydrolysis

Safety

Notes and references

See also

External links

Production

Acetic anhydride is produced by carbonylation of methyl acetate:^[1]
: CH₃CO₂CH₃ + CO → (CH₃CO)₂O
This process involves the conversion of methyl acetate to methyl iodide and an acetate salt. Carbonylation of the methyl iodide in turn affords acetyl iodide, which reacts with acetate salts or acetic acid to give the product. Rhodium and lithium iodides are employed as catalysts. Because acetic anhydride is not stable in water, the conversion is conducted under anhydrous conditions. In contrast, the Monsanto acetic acid synthesis, which also involves a rhodium catalyzed carbonylation of methyl iodide, is at least partially aqueous.
To a decreasing extent, acetic anhydride is also prepared by the reaction of ketene with acetic acid. Ketene is generated by dehydrating acetic acid at elevated temperatures.
Due to its low cost, acetic anhydride is purchased, not prepared, for use in research laboratories.

Uses

Ac₂O is mainly used for the acetylation of cellulose to cellulose acetate for photographic film and other applications.
In general alcohols and amines are acetylated.^[2] Aspirin, acetyl salicylic acid, is prepared by the acetylation of salicylic acid using acetic anhydride. Because of its use for the synthesis of heroin by the diacetylation of morphine, acetic anhydride is listed as a DEA List II Precursor.^[3]
For example, the reaction of acetic anhydride with ethanol is:
: (CH₃CO)₂O + CH₃CH₂OH → CH₃CO₂CH₂CH₃ + CH₃CO₂H
Often a base such as pyridine is added to function as catalyst. Lewis acidic scandium salts are also effective catalysts.^[4]

Hydrolysis

Acetic anhydride dissolves in water to approximately 2.6% by weight.^[5] Aqueous solutions have limited stability because, like most acid anhydrides, acetic anhydride hydrolyses to give acetic acid:^[6]
: (CH₃CO)₂O + H₂O → 2 CH₃CO₂H

Safety

Acetic anhydride is an irritant and flammable. Because of its reactivity toward water, alcohol foam or carbon dioxide are preferred for fire suppression.^[7] The vapour of acetic anhydride is harmful.^[8]

Notes and references

1. Zoeller, J. R.; Agreda, V. H.; Cook, S. L.; Lafferty, N. L.; Polichnowski, S. W.; Pond, D. M. "Eastman Chemical Company Acetic Anhydride Process" Catalysis Today (1992), volume 13, pp.73-91. doi:10.1016/0920-5861(92)80188-S
2. Science is Fun…
3. ChemGuide
4. Macor, J.; Sampognaro, A. J.; Verhoest, P. R.; Mack, R. A. "(R)-(+)-2-Hydroxy-1,2,2-Triphenylethyl Acetate" Organic Syntheses, Collected Volume 10, p.464 (2004). http://www.orgsyn.org/orgsyn/pdfs/V77P0045.pdf
5. British Petroleum
6. Celanese
7. Data Sheets
8.
NIOSH

See also

★ Acid anhydride

External links