Ethanol: Oxygen and Acetic Acid Essay

Submitted By princessyukiyuri
Words: 338
Pages: 2

IUPAC Name: Acetic Acid
Bond Angles: 120
Overlapping Orbitals: The third sp2 hybridized orbital of carbon overlaps with sp3 orbital

Legend
Hydrogen = Green
Oxygen = Red
Carbon = Black

The formula for Ethanoic Acid, better known as Acetic Acid is CH3COOH. The COOH portion is trigonal planar, thus making the bond angles 120 degrees. This suggests that the carbon atoms and two oxygen atoms are sp2 hybridized. The two sp2 hybridized orbitals of carboxyl carbon overlap with one sp2 hybridized orbital of each oxygen atom while the third sp2 hybridized orbital of carbon overlaps with sp3 orbital of c atom of alkyl group to form three sigma bonds. Each of the two oxygen and carbon atoms are left with one unhybridized p orbital which is perpendicular to the sigma bonding skeleton. All three p orbitals being parallel overlap to form a pi bond which is partly de localized between carbon and oxygen atom on one side and carbon and oxygen of OH group on other side.

Acetobacter is a genus of acetic acid bacteria characterized by the ability to convert ethanol to acetic acid in the presence of oxygen. There are several species within this genus, and there are other bacteria capable of forming acetic acid under various conditions; but all of the Acetobacter are known by this characteristic ability.
Acetobacter are of particular importance commercially, because: * they are used in the production of vinegar (intentionally converting the ethanol in the wine to acetic acid)