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
Mandelic acid urinary tract infections. It has also been used as an oral antibiotic, and as a component of chemical face peels, along with other alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs). Mandelic acid Mandelic acid is an aromatic alpha hydroxy acid with the molecular formula CHCH(OH)COH. It is a white crystalline solid that is soluble in water and polar organic solvents. It is a useful precursor to various drugs. The molecule is chiral. The racemic mixture is known as "paramandelic acid". Mandelic acid was discovered in 1831 by the German pharmacist Ferdinand Ludwig Winckler (1801–1868) while heating amygdalin, an extract of bitter almonds, with diluted