ecetsav

Ecetsav, known in English as acetic acid, is the simplest carboxylic acid with the chemical formula CH3COOH. It is a colorless liquid with a characteristic sour, vinegar-like odor and is miscible with water and many organic solvents. It is a weak acid, with a pKa around 4.76, and it forms hydrogen bonds with water. Its physical properties include a boiling point of 118.1 °C and a density near 1.049 g/cm3 at room temperature.

Ecetsav occurs naturally in vinegar, where it is produced by the aerobic oxidation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. Industrial production is dominated by the catalytic carbonylation of methanol with carbon monoxide to form acetic acid, a process developed for large-scale manufacture. A secondary route involves oxidation of acetaldehyde. The compound can also be produced by other chemical pathways in smaller scales.

In commerce, acetic acid is used as a food additive and preservative (often listed as E260) and as a household or industrial cleaning agent and descaler. It serves as a chemical intermediate in the production of esters such as ethyl acetate, and polymers such as cellulose acetate, as well as a solvent and a reagent for acetylation reactions.

Safety and handling considerations are important because concentrated acetic acid is corrosive and can cause severe burns to skin and eyes. Inhalation of vapors may irritate the respiratory tract. It should be handled with appropriate personal protective equipment, in well-ventilated areas, and stored in corrosion-resistant containers away from incompatible materials.