Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
acetaldehyde
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Quick Facts
Also called:
ethanal
Related Topics:
aldehyde
aldol
See all related content
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

acetaldehyde

chemical compound
Also known as: ethanal
Written by
William H. Brown
Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, Beloit College, Wisconsin.
William H. Brown
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
Last updated
•History

acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), an aldehyde used as a starting material in the synthesis of 1-butanol (n-butyl alcohol), ethyl acetate, perfumes, flavourings, aniline dyes, plastics, synthetic rubber, and other chemical compounds. It has been manufactured by the hydration of acetylene and by the oxidation of ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Today the dominant process for the manufacture of acetaldehyde is the Wacker process, developed between 1957 and 1959, which catalyzes the oxidation of ethylene to acetaldehyde. The catalyst is a two-component system consisting of palladium chloride, PdCl2, and copper chloride, CuCl2.

Synthesis of acetaldehyde from ethylene. chemical compound

Pure acetaldehyde is a colourless, flammable liquid with a pungent, fruity odour; it boils at 20.8 °C (69.4 °F).

William H. Brown