Acetic acid Acetic acid Acetic acid , systematically named ethanoic acid , is a colourless liquid organic compound with the chemical formula CHCOOH (also written as CHCOH or CHO). When undiluted, it is sometimes called "glacial acetic acid". Vinegar is no less than 4% acetic acid by volume, making acetic acid the main component of vinegar apart from water. Acetic acid has a distinctive sour taste and pungent smell. In addition to household vinegar, it is mainly produced as a precursor to polyvinyl acetate and cellulose acetate. It is classified as a weak acid since it only partially dissociates in solution, but
Dihydroxymalonic acid Dihydroxymalonic acid Dihydroxymalonic acid is an organic compound with formula CHO or HO-(C=O)-C(OH)-(C=O)-OH, found in some plants such as alfalfa and in beet molasses. The compound may also be called dihydroxymesoxalic acid, dihydroxypropanedioic acid. It can be viewed as a hydrate derivative of mesoxalic acid, and indeed it is often called mesoxalic acid monohydrate and other silmilar names. This compound is unusual in containing stable geminal hydroxy groups. Dihydroxymalonic acid is a water-soluble white solid. It crystallizes in deliquescent prisms that melt between 113 °C and 121 °C without loss of water. It has been used in medical research as