Benzoic Acid
What is Benzoic Acid?
Benzoic acid is an organic compound described by the chemical formula C₆H₅COOH.
It consists of a carboxyl group attached to a benzene ring.
Therefore, benzoic acid is classified as an aromatic carboxylic acid.
Under normal conditions, it appears as a colorless crystalline solid.
The term “benzoate” refers to the salts and esters of C₆H₅COOH.
Benzoic acid is typically prepared by reacting trichlorotoluene with calcium hydroxide in the presence of water and then purifying the resulting calcium benzoate with hydrochloric acid.