What is the difference between acetic anhydride and glacial acetic acid

1. basic properties and structure

1. chemical formula and molecular structure The chemical formula of acetic anhydride is C? H? O?, and the oxygen atom in the molecular structure connects two carbon atoms to form an ester-based structure. And the chemical formula of glacial acetic acid is CH-COOH, and a methyl group is connected to a carboxylic acid group in the molecular structure.

2. Physical Properties

• Acetic anhydride: at room temperature is a white solid, a slight smell, the appearance of the people known as "solid acetic acid".
• Glacial acetic acid: at room temperature is a colorless transparent liquid, tasteless and odorless.

1. Stability
   Acetic anhydride is unstable and easily decomposed by heat, while glacial acetic acid is relatively stable.

2. chemical differences

1. Decomposition Acetic anhydride is easily decomposed by heat to generate acetic acid and carbon dioxide. The reaction formula is: 2 CH₂ H₂ O₂ → 2 CH₂ COOH O₂. Glacial acetic acid is stable at room temperature and usually does not decompose.

2. reactivity Acetic anhydride has higher reactivity and is easy to participate in the transesterification reaction; glacial acetic acid has lower reactivity but higher stability.

, 3. production and storage

1. mode of production Acetic anhydride is mainly produced by the dehydration reaction of acetic acid, which is more complicated in process. Glacial acetic acid can be produced by simple fermentation or chemical synthesis.

2. Storage conditions Acetic anhydride needs to be stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. Glacial acetic acid can be stored at room temperature for a long time and has good stability.

4. practical application

1. Application of Acetic Anhydride Acetic anhydride is mainly used in industrial production, such as the production of ethyl acetate. Acetic anhydride is also used as an additive for some special materials.

2. Application of glacial acetic acid Because of its stability, glacial acetic acid is widely used as a solvent, food additives (such as preservatives), pharmaceutical intermediates, etc.

From the above analysis, it can be seen that there are significant differences between acetic anhydride and glacial acetic acid in terms of chemical properties, physical properties, and usage scenarios. In practical application, according to the stability and reactivity of the substance, different ways of use will be selected.