Salicylic acid 99%
2-hydroxybenzoic acid
| Code | Pack Size | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97O1 | 100g | £6.99 | Add to Cart |
| 97C1 | 250g | £12.19 | Add to Cart |
SALICYLIC ACID
Salicylic acid or 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, C6H4(OH)CO2H, a colorless, crystalline organic carboxylic acid that melts at 159oC; It is soluble in ethanol and ether but is only slightly soluble in water.
It is prepared commercially by heating sodium phenolate (the sodium salt of phenol) with carbon dioxide under pressure to form sodium salicylate, which is treated with sulfuric acid to liberate salicylic acid. Salicylic acid and its derivatives are toxic when consumed in large amounts.
Uses
The major use of salicylic acid is in the preparation of its ester derivatives; since it contains both a hydroxyl (OH) and a carboxyl (CO2H) group, it can react with either an acid or an alcohol. The hydroxyl group reacts with acetic acid to form the acetate ester, acetylsalicylic acid.
Several useful esters are formed by reaction of the carboxyl group with alcohols. The methyl ester, methyl salicylate (also called oil of wintergreen since it produces the fragrance of wintergreen), is formed with methanol. The phenyl ester, phenyl salicylate, or salol, is formed with phenol;
