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| 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid | |
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| IUPAC name | 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid |
| Other names | p-Hydroxybenzoic acid para-Hydroxybenzoic acid |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | 99-96-7 |
| PubChem | |
| SMILES |
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| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | C7H6O3 |
| Molar mass | 138.12074 g/mol |
| Density | 1.46 g/cm³ |
| Melting point |
214-217 °C |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox references |
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4-Hydroxybenzoic acid, or p-hydroxybenzoic acid, is a phenolic derivative of benzoic acid. It is a white crystalline solid that is slightly soluble in water and chloroform, but soluble to extremely soluble in alcohols, ether, and acetone.
4-Hydroxybenzoic acid is primarily known as the basis for the preparation of its esters, known as parabens, which are used as preservatives in cosmetics.
Production
4-Hydroxybenzoic acid is produced commercially from potassium phenoxide and carbon dioxide in the Kolbe-Schmitt reaction. It can also be produced in the laboratory by heating potassium salicylate with potassium carbonate to 240 °C, followed by treating with acid.1
See also
The closely related 2-hydroxybenzoic acid is known as salicylic acid, a precursor to aspirin.
References
- ^ Organic Syntheses, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, Coll. Vol. 2, p. 341 (1943).
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