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
2-Hydroxyethyl terephthalic acid Specifically, it is produced in the course of the thermal condensation of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol: Further dehydration of 2-hydroxyethyl terephthalic acid gives PET. It is also produced by the partial hydrolysis of PET, as catalyzed by the enzyme PETase: 2-Hydroxyethyl terephthalic acid 2-Hydroxyethyl terephthalic acid is an organic compound with the formula HOCHOCCHCOH. It is the monoester of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. The compound is a precursor to poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), a polymer that is produced on a large scale industrially. 2-Hydroxyethyl terephthalic acid is a colorless solid that is soluble in water and polar organic solvents.