What is the Difference Between Salicylic Acid and Benzoic Acid?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Salicylic acid and benzoic acid are both organic compounds with similar chemical structures. However, there are some key differences between them:
- Chemical Structure: Salicylic acid has a –OH group, while benzoic acid has no –OH groups in its ring structure. Salicylic acid is also known as ortho-hydroxybenzoic acid or 2-hydroxybenzoic acid.
- Acidity: Salicylic acid is stronger than benzoic acid due to the presence of a stable conjugate base. This makes salicylic acid more acidic than benzoic acid.
- Usage: Salicylic acid is primarily used as a medication to remove the outer layer of skin, treating warts, acne, ringworm, and producing aspirin. It is also used as a food preservative. Benzoic acid, on the other hand, is important in the production of phenol, plasticizers, and sodium benzoate, which is a useful food preservative.
In summary, salicylic acid and benzoic acid have similar chemical structures but differ in the presence of a hydroxyl group, acidity, and their respective uses.
Comparative Table: Salicylic Acid vs Benzoic Acid
The key difference between salicylic acid and benzoic acid is the presence of a hydroxyl group in salicylic acid, whereas benzoic acid has no hydroxyl groups in its structure. Here is a comparison table highlighting the differences between salicylic acid and benzoic acid:
Property | Salicylic Acid | Benzoic Acid |
---|---|---|
Chemical Formula | C7H6O3 | C6H5CO2H |
Hydroxyl Group | Yes | No |
pKa Value | 2.97 | 4.20 |
Acidity | More acidic | Less acidic |
Both salicylic acid and benzoic acid are carboxylic acids with a benzene ring as the base structure. They have closely similar chemical structures but differ in the presence of a hydroxyl group and their acidity. Salicylic acid is more acidic than benzoic acid, with a pKa value of 2.97 compared to benzoic acid's pKa value of 4.20.
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