Understanding Anhydrides: Classification, Formation, and Applications in Industry and Chemistry

Anhydride

A functional group containing two carbonyls separated by an oxygen atom; often the condensation dimer of a carboxylic acid.”without water”

An anhydride is a chemical compound that forms as a result of removing water (H2O) from two molecules. Specifically, an anhydride results from the removal of one -OH group from each of two adjacent carboxylic acid (-COOH) groups. An anhydride can also form when removing one molecule of water from two molecules of a substance that contains both an -OH group and an -COOH group.

Anhydrides can be classified into two categories: symmetrical and mixed. Symmetrical anhydrides are formed when two identical carboxylic acid groups react with each other and remove a molecule of water. Mixed (or unsymmetrical) anhydrides are formed when two different carboxylic acids react with each other and remove a molecule of water.

Anhydrides have a variety of uses in industry and research. For example, acetic anhydride is used in the production of cellulose acetate, which is used to make photographic film and plastic products. Maleic anhydride is a building block for the production of polymer resins, and phthalic anhydride is used in the production of plasticizers for PVC. Additionally, anhydrides are commonly used as reagents in organic chemistry reactions due to their high reactivity toward nucleophiles.

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