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What Is Impure Benzoic Acid?

Benzoic acid in its crude form is called impure benzoic acid. The formation of benzoic acid takes place because of the oxidation of toluene. The process of oxidation needs to be carried out in the liquid phase of the compound and is only possible in the presence of a catalyst. The impurities present in the newly formed benzene in this process are because of phenyl and benzyl compounds that seriously affect the product. These impurities also have amino compounds that are present in a larger extent inside impure benzene.

  1. Impurities in Benzene

    • The impurities found in newly formed benzene affect it to quite a large extent because of the presence of hydrogenous compounds. These impurities must be removed to unleash the full capabilities of benzoic acid. Impure benzoic acid is used as the most common food preservative. We can naturally find the compound in plants and certain animals.

    Preparation of Impure Benzene

    • The best way of preparing impure benzene is by oxidation. This process involves the oxidation of liquid toluene, which can be obtained by reacting methane with benzene. Toluene, at its liquid state, undergoes oxidation in the presence of a catalyst such as cobalt. The catalyst removes a molecule of water from one molecule of toluene. This can also be considered a process that involves both oxidation and dehydration.

    Properties of Benzoic Acid

    • The general scientific formula of benzoic acid is C6H5COOH. It is a weak acid. This acid acts as a preservative for food. Benzoic acid finds use as a preservative even in its impure form. When purified, it can be used as a compound for the synthesis of lot of other organic compounds. Although the compound is solid like a crystal, the presence of impurities liquefy in the solution containing the compound. It has a peculiar odor. It melts at high temperature.

    Purification of Impure Benzoic Acid

    • Impure benzoic acid is highly soluble in hot water but rarely soluble in cold water. Its purification does not necessarily require a lot of preparation. One process is crystallization, but the synthesis of impure benzoic acid requires crystallization repeatedly. Because organic compounds do not necessarily dissolve in water, the crystallization process is the most suitable one. There are other processes for the purification of the compound, like hydrolysis, which pertains to dissolving the compound in water in the presence of a catalyst.

    Widespread Uses of Benzoic Acid

    • Impure benzoic acid, in its purified form, has many medicinal uses. It is used in the manufacture of pesticides. It serves as the starting material for the manufacture of synthetic compounds such as nylon. Nevertheless, the foremost usage of the compound is in food preservation. Impure benzoic acid, along with its salt compounds, prevents the growth of microorganisms like fungi, bacteria and yeasts. Benzoic acid prevents food from forming these microorganisms for a long period.

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