Interaction | Reaction | Process     Data Page

Aspirin can be prepared by reacting 2-hydroxy benzoic acid (salicylic acid) with acetyl chloride (ethanoyl chloride).

However, the reaction proceeds rather better if acetic anhydride (ethanoic anhydride) is used. The reason is that a second mol of acid chloride can react with the carboxylic acid function to form a mixed benzoic/ethanoic acid anhydride.
  +  
CH3COCl
         
  +  
HCl
Reactant Page Go To Go To
Salicylic acid     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Acetyl chloride     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Aspirin     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming
Hydrogen chloride     Reactions Using    Reactions Forming

Interaction, Reaction, Process defined as:
British A-Level Chemistry: A2
Substitution: Addition-followed-by Elimination
Substitution: Nucleophilic @ Acyl-Nfg

© Mark R. Leach 1999 –

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