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
Organic acid Organic acid An organic acid is an organic compound with acidic properties. The most common organic acids are the carboxylic acids, whose acidity is associated with their carboxyl group –COOH. Sulfonic acids, containing the group –SOOH, are relatively stronger acids. Alcohols, with –OH, can act as acids but they are usually very weak. The relative stability of the conjugate base of the acid determines its acidity. Other groups can also confer acidity, usually weakly: the thiol group –SH, the enol group, and the phenol group. In biological systems, organic compounds containing these groups are generally referred to as organic acids.