Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How is aspirin related to acetic acid and salicylic acid?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
carboxylic acid
Alcohols may be oxidized to give aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids. The oxidation of organic compounds generally increases the number of bonds from carbon to oxygen, and it may decrease the number of bonds to hydrogen.
Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid, is a chemical derivative of salicylic acid. To produce aspirin, salicylic acid is treated with acetic anhydride, a compound derived from acetic acid.12345
In this chemical process, the salicylic acid is acetylated, meaning an acetyl group is added to the molecule. While salicylic acid occurs naturally in various plants, such as willow bark, it is commercially synthesized and then reacted with acetic anhydride to create the final pharmaceutical product used for pain and fever relief.13