Peracetic acid Peracetic acid Peracetic acid (also known as peroxyacetic acid, or PAA), is an organic compound with the formula CHCOH. This organic peroxide is a colorless liquid with a characteristic acrid odor reminiscent of acetic acid. It can be highly corrosive. Peracetic acid is a weaker acid than the parent acetic acid, with a p"K" of 8.2. Peracetic acid is produced industrially by the autoxidation of acetaldehyde: It forms upon treatment of acetic acid with hydrogen peroxide with a strong acid catalyst: As an alternative, acetyl chloride and acetic anhydride can be used to generate a solution of the acid with
Dicarboxylic acid Dicarboxylic acid A dicarboxylic acid is an organic compound containing two carboxyl functional groups (−COOH). The general molecular formula for dicarboxylic acids can be written as HOC−R−COH, where R can be aliphatic or aromatic. In general, dicarboxylic acids show similar chemical behavior and reactivity to monocarboxylic acids. Dicarboxylic acids are also used in the preparation of copolymers such as polyamides and polyesters. The most widely used dicarboxylic acid in the industry is adipic acid, which is a precursor used in the production of nylon. Other examples of dicarboxylic acids include aspartic acid and glutamic acid, two amino acids in the