Trifluoroacetic acid Trifluoroacetic acid Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is an organofluorine compound with the chemical formula CFCOH. It is a structural analogue of acetic acid with all three of the acetyl group’s hydrogen atoms replaced by fluorine atoms and is a colorless liquid with a vinegar like odor. TFA is a stronger acid than acetic acid, having an acid ionisation constant that is approximately 34,000 times higher, as the highly electronegative fluorine atoms and consequent electron-withdrawing nature of the trifluoromethyl group weakens the oxygen-hydrogen bond (allowing for greater acidity) and stabilises the anionic conjugate base. TFA is widely used in organic chemistry for
Performic acid Performic acid Performic acid (PFA) is an organic compound with the formula CHO. It is an unstable colorless liquid which can be produced by mixing formic acid with hydrogen peroxide. Owing to its oxidizing and disinfecting action, it is used in the chemical, medical and food industries. Performic acid is a colorless liquid soluble in water, alcohols, ether, benzene, chloroform and other organic solvents. Its strong oxidizing properties are used for cleaving disulfide bonds in protein mapping, as well as for epoxidation, hydroxylation and oxidation reactions in organic synthesis. In the medical and food industries, performic acid is commonly used