acetox

Acetox is a term used in chemistry primarily as a stem or prefix referring to the acetoxy group, derived from acetic acid. The acetoxy group is the functional substituent -O-COCH3, and it is found in esters known as acetates. In systematic naming, the group is indicated by the prefix acetoxy- or the suffix -acetoxy, and it attaches to a molecule through the oxygen atom.

In practical use, acetoxy groups are installed by acetylation of alcohols or phenols using acetylating agents such as acetic anhydride or acetyl chloride. This reaction yields acetates, which are widely used as protecting groups in organic synthesis and as intermediates in further transformations.

In common chemistry usage, acetoxylated compounds describe alcohols or phenols that have been converted to acetyl esters, i.e., alcohols or phenols bearing an acetoxy group. The term acetox may also appear in discussions of radical chemistry to denote the acetoxyl radical involved in some oxidation mechanisms, though this usage is less common outside specialized contexts.

Acetates are frequently encountered in natural products, pharmaceuticals, and materials science. The term acetox is less commonly used as a standalone name for a specific compound and is usually encountered as a root in acetoxy- or acetoxyl- in compound names.