Methacrylic acid
Encyclopedia
Methacrylic acid, abbreviated MAA, is an organic compound
. This colourless, viscous liquid is a carboxylic acid
with an acrid unpleasant odor. It is soluble in warm water and miscible with most organic solvents. Methacrylic acid is produced industrially on a large scale as a precursor to its ester
s, especially methyl methacrylate
(MMA) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The methacrylates have numerous uses, most notably in the manufacture of polymers with trade names such as Lucite and Plexiglas. MAA occurs naturally in small amounts in the oil of Roman chamomile.
and tert-butanol
, are oxidized sequentially to methacrolein
and then to MAA, which is then largely esterified.
Methacrylic acid was first obtained in the form of its ethyl ester by treating phosphorus pentachloride with oxyisobutyric ester. It is, however, more readily obtained by boiling citra- or meso-brompyrotartaric acids with alkali
s. It crystallizes in prisms. When fused with an alkali, it forms propionic acid
. Sodium amalgam
reduces it to isobutyric acid
. A polymer
ic form of methacrylic acid was described in 1880.
Organic compound
An organic compound is any member of a large class of gaseous, liquid, or solid chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of carbon-containing compounds such as carbides, carbonates, simple oxides of carbon, and cyanides, as well as the...
. This colourless, viscous liquid is a carboxylic acid
Carboxylic acid
Carboxylic acids are organic acids characterized by the presence of at least one carboxyl group. The general formula of a carboxylic acid is R-COOH, where R is some monovalent functional group...
with an acrid unpleasant odor. It is soluble in warm water and miscible with most organic solvents. Methacrylic acid is produced industrially on a large scale as a precursor to its ester
Ester
Esters are chemical compounds derived by reacting an oxoacid with a hydroxyl compound such as an alcohol or phenol. Esters are usually derived from an inorganic acid or organic acid in which at least one -OH group is replaced by an -O-alkyl group, and most commonly from carboxylic acids and...
s, especially methyl methacrylate
Methyl methacrylate
Methyl methacrylate is an organic compound with the formula CH2=CCOOCH3. This colourless liquid, the methyl ester of methacrylic acid is a monomer produced on a large scale for the production of poly .-Production:...
(MMA) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The methacrylates have numerous uses, most notably in the manufacture of polymers with trade names such as Lucite and Plexiglas. MAA occurs naturally in small amounts in the oil of Roman chamomile.
Production and properties
More than 3 million tons of methyl methacrylate (MMA) are produced annually, and a significant fraction of the manufacturing processes proceed via the intermediacy of MAA (the dominant process, the "ACH route," does not). IsobutyleneIsobutylene
Isobutylene is a hydrocarbon of significant industrial importance. It is a four-carbon branched alkene , one of the four isomers of butylene. At standard temperature and pressure it is a colorless flammable gas.-Uses:...
and tert-butanol
Tert-Butanol
tert-Butanol, or 2-methyl-2-propanol, is the simplest tertiary alcohol. It is one of the four isomers of butanol. tert-Butanol is a clear liquid with a camphor-like odor. It is very soluble in water and miscible with ethanol and diethyl ether...
, are oxidized sequentially to methacrolein
Methacrolein
Methacrolein, or methacrylaldehyde, is an unsaturated aldehyde. It is a clear, colorless, flammable liquid that is present in cigarettes when smoking.Industrially, the primary use of methacrolein is in the manufacture of polymers and synthetic resins....
and then to MAA, which is then largely esterified.
Methacrylic acid was first obtained in the form of its ethyl ester by treating phosphorus pentachloride with oxyisobutyric ester. It is, however, more readily obtained by boiling citra- or meso-brompyrotartaric acids with alkali
Alkali
In chemistry, an alkali is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal element. Some authors also define an alkali as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7. The adjective alkaline is commonly used in English as a synonym for base,...
s. It crystallizes in prisms. When fused with an alkali, it forms propionic acid
Propionic acid
Propanoic acid is a naturally occurring carboxylic acid with chemical formula CH3CH2COOH. It is a clear liquid with a pungent odor...
. Sodium amalgam
Sodium amalgam
Sodium amalgam, commonly denoted Na, is an alloy of mercury and sodium. The term amalgam is used for alloys, intermetallic compounds, and solutions involving mercury as a major component. Sodium amalgam is often used in reactions as strong reducing agents with better handling properties compared...
reduces it to isobutyric acid
Isobutyric acid
Isobutyric acid, also known as 2-methylpropanoic acid, is a carboxylic acid with structural formula 2-CH-COOH. It is found in the free state in carobs and in the root of Arnica dulcis, and as an ethyl ester in croton oil....
. A polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
ic form of methacrylic acid was described in 1880.