Vinegar Formula: Most of us know what vinegar is. Vinegar is used widely in most of our households. But, there is more things associated with Vinegar which we will see in this article. The vinegar is the dilute solution of acetic acid or ethanoic acid. Vinegar formula is represented as \(\left({{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}}} \right).\). However, the chemical formula of Vinegar is the chemical formula of acetic acid, as acetic acid is the primary component of Vinegar.

Vinegar is produced by various methods: traditional methods employing wooden casks (Orleans Process), surface culture (Generator Process), etc. Vinegar is an essential ingredient in many food products. Along with it, vinegar is used in cleaning purposes too. It is used as an antiseptic in various medicines. In this article, we will provide detailed information on Vinegar Formula. Scroll down to learn more!

Vinegar: Chemical Formula and Structure of Acetic Acid

The term acetic acid comes from the word ‘acetum’, which means Vinegar. The chemical formula of acetic acid is \({\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}}.\) It is the second member of the homologous series of carboxylic acids.

The structure of acetic acid can be given as:

In the above structure, it is visible that the first carbon atom is connected to three hydrogen atoms. The second carbon atom is bonded together with an oxygen atom and a hydroxyl group. The functional group present in acetic acid is \( – {\text{COOH}}\) (Carboxyl group).

Preparation of Vinegar

The word, ‘Vinegar’ is derived from French words which means ‘sour wine’. Vinegar can be produced using different methods. The various methods of preparation of vinegar is explained below:

1. Biological Production of Vinegar

Vinegar is generally made by the fermentation of ethyl alcohol or sugars to acetic acid by a genus of bacteria called acetic acid bacteria. It is a two-step bioprocess. In the initial step, the fermentable sugars are transformed into ethanol by the action of yeast. In the second step, the acetic acid bacteria oxidize the ethanol into acetic acid in an aerobic process.

Vinegar usually contains \(4 – 6\% \) of acetic acid and \(94 – 97\% \) of water.

2. Orleans Process

Vinegar production through Orleans method is a slow process. The major feature of Orleans method is that the huge barrels will be filled with wine and vinegar and Acetic Acid Bacteria (AAB) ferment it gradually. In this process, after one to three months the old vinegar is removed and new wine is added. The barrel should be filled only half so that enough air is present for the bacteria. Bacteria will acidify and vinegar is formed again. It is a time-consuming process and needs a lot of patience.

3. The Quick Process

As we know that the Orleans method takes a lot of time, people try to resort to the quick or trickling process. In this method, there will be a fermenting chamber with the necessary bacteria and other compounds. To this, alcoholic substrate will be sprayed. These together reacts to form vinegar. There will be heat produced during the process but air will be passed inside the chamber to make it cool. These steps are repeated several times to get the desired quantity of vinegar.

4. Submerged Fermentation Method

This is the method used in various industries to produce vinegar in great quantities. This is a quick process compared to any other processes. Here, a high-speed equipment like motor breaks down the air from a stainless steel tank. When this happens, tiny bubbles are formed. These bubbles are forces in to the alcoholic liquid and bacteria. This step is followed by filtration and pasteurisation of vinegar. This will stopall kind of bacteria growth and other actions of enzymes.

The methods of production of Vinegar could range from traditional methods employing wooden casks (Orleans Process), surface culture (Generator Process), etc. As Vinegar is an important ingredient in several food products, the need for the production of Vinegar has been increased. This need demands the industrial fermentation systems to produce large volumes of Vinegar. This led to the development of technical devices to improve the industrial production of Vinegar.

Reaction of Vinegar with Baking Soda

The Vinegar reacts with baking soda to give sodium ethanoate water along with the liberation of carbon dioxide gas. That is,

\({\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}} + {\text{NaHC}}{{\text{O}}_3} \to {\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{CO}}\overline {\,{\text{O}}} \overset{ + }{\mathop {\text{N}}} {\text{a}} + {{\text{H}}_2}{\text{O}} + {\text{C}}{{\text{O}}_2} \uparrow \)

During the process, at first, the bicarbonate ion present in baking soda reacts to form carbonic acid, which then suddenly decomposes to give carbon dioxide and water.

Uses of Vinegar

Below we have provided some of the uses of Vinegar:

1. Vinegar (as sirka) is commonly used as a preservative in pickles.
2. It is used for cooking and baking.
3. White Vinegar is used as a household cleaning agent.
4. Vinegar is an important ingredient in many food products.
5. It also aids in weight loss and in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar.
6. It can be used for weed control.
7. It is used for making several beverages.
8. Vinegar is utilised as an antiseptic as it has antibacterial qualities.
9. It has been used to treat cancer by its direct injection into the tumour.

Preparation of Acetic Acid

Acetic acid can be naturally found in some fruits. It is present as esters in a number of essential oils and also present in some plant extracts in the combined state. 

Acetic acid can be prepared artificially using different methods. Let us discuss them one by one.

Laboratory Preparation of Acetic Acid

Acetic acid can be prepared in the laboratory using the following methods:

1. Oxidation of Ethanol

 Acetic acid can be prepared in the laboratory by the oxidation of ethanol. That is,

\(\begin{gathered} {\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_2}{\text{OH}} + \left[{\text{O}} \right]\frac{{{{\text{K}}_2}{\text{C}}{{\text{r}}_2}{{\text{O}}_7}}}{{{\text{ Acidified }}}}{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{CHO}} + {{\text{H}}_2}{\text{O}} \hfill \\ {\text{Ethanol}}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,{\text{Ethanal}}\,{\text{or}}\, \hfill \\ \,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,{\text{Acetaldehyde}} \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \)

\(\begin{gathered} {\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{CHO}} + \left[{\text{O}} \right]\frac{{{{\text{K}}_2}{\text{C}}{{\text{r}}_2}{{\text{O}}_7}}}{{{\text{ Acidified }}}}{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}} \hfill \\ {\text{Acetaldehyde}}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,{\text{Acetic}}\,{\text{acid}}\, \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \)

2. Hydrolysis of Ethyl Acetate

Acetic acid can be prepared in the laboratory by the hydrolysis of ethyl acetate in acid medium. That is,

Industrial Preparation of Acetic Acid

The industrial preparation of acetic acid involves the following methods:

1. From Acetylene

Acetic acid can be obtained industrially by the reaction of acetylene with water in the presence of dilute sulphuric acid and mercuric sulphate as a catalyst. The reaction can be given as,

Here, acetylene is first converted to acetaldehyde, and then it is converted into acetic acid.

2. From Methanol

The reaction of methanol with carbon monoxide gives acetic acid. The chemical equation for the reaction can be given as,

3. From Ethanol

Ethanol reacts with oxygen in the presence of platinum catalyst at \({300^ \circ }{\text{C}}\) to give acetic acid. The chemical equation for the reaction can be given as,

Properties of Acetic Acid

Let us discuss the physical and chemical properties of acetic acid.

Physical Properties of Acetic Acid

Acetic acid is a colourless liquid with a pungent smell (like Vinegar). It is a hygroscopic liquid and is sour in taste. The boiling point of acetic acid is \(391\,{\text{K}}.\) It is a miscible liquid. That is, it is soluble in water, alcohol and ether in all proportions. It is corrosive at room temperature. It is a good solvent for iodine, phosphorous and for a number of organic solvents.

Pure acetic acid forms a crystalline mass that looks like a glacier on cooling. This is the reason why pure acetic acid is called glacial acetic acid.

Chemical Properties of Acetic Acid

Below we have discussed some of the chemical properties of acetic acid:

1. Acidic Character

Acetic acid is a monobasic acid. That is, it has a replaceable hydrogen atom in its \( – {\text{COOH}}\) group. Hence, it ionizes in water to given \({\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{CO}}{{\text{O}}^ – }\) and \({{\text{H}}_3}{{\text{O}}^ + }\) ions. The chemical equation for the reaction can be given as,

\({\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}} + {{\text{H}}_2}{\text{O}} \to {\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{CO}}{{\text{O}}^ – } + {{\text{H}}_3}{{\text{O}}^ + }\)

Acetic acid is a weak acid. Hence, it turns blue litmus into red.

2. Reaction with Metals

Acetic acid reacts with reactive metals like \({\text{Na}},{\text{Mg}},{\text{K}}\) and \({\text{Al}}\) to form metal salt and hydrogen gas. The examples of such reactions can be given as,

\(\begin{gathered} 2{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}} + 2{\text{Na}} \to 2{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COONa}} + {{\text{H}}_2} \uparrow \hfill \\ {\text{Acetic}}\,{\text{acid}}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,{\text{Sodium}}\,{\text{ethanoate}} \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \)

\(\begin{gathered} 2{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}} + {\text{Zn}} \to {\left({{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COO}}} \right)_2}{\text{Zn}} + {{\text{H}}_2} \uparrow \hfill \\ {\text{Acetic}}\,{\text{acid}}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,{\text{Zinc}}\,{\text{acetate}} \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \)

\(\begin{gathered} 2{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}} + {\text{Mg}} \to {\left( {{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COO}}} \right)_2}{\text{Mg}} + {{\text{H}}_2} \uparrow \hfill \\ {\text{Acetic}}\,{\text{acid}}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,{\text{Magnesium}}\,{\text{acetate}} \hfill \\ \end{gathered} \)

3. Reaction of Acetic acid with Sodium Carbonate or Sodium Bicarbonate

Acetic acid reacts with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to give sodium ethanoate, water along with the liberation of carbon dioxide gas. The chemical equation for the reaction can be given as,

\(\underset{{{\text{ Acetic acid }}}}{\mathop {{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}}}} + \underset{{\begin{array}{{c}} {{\text{ Sodium }}} \\ {{\text{ bicarbonate }}} \\ \end{array} }}{\mathop {{\text{NaHC}}{{\text{O}}_3}}} \to \underset{{{\text{ }}\begin{array}{{c}} {{\text{ Sodium }}} \\ {{\text{ ethanoate }}} \\ \end{array} {\text{ }}}}{\mathop {{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{CO}}\overline {\text{O}} }} \overset{ + }{\mathop{{\text{Na}}}} + {{\text{H}}_2}{\text{O + C}}{{\text{O}}_2} \uparrow \)

Acetic acid reacts with sodium carbonate (washing soda) to give sodium ethanoate, water along with the liberation of carbon dioxide gas. The chemical equation for the reaction can be given as,

\(\underset{{{\text{ Acetic acid }}}}{\mathop {2{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}}}} + \underset{{{\text{ Sodium carbonate }}}}{\mathop {{\text{N}}{{\text{a}}_2}{\text{C}}{{\text{O}}_3}}} \to \underset{{{\text{ Sodium ethanoate }}}}{\mathop {2{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{CO}}\overline {\text{O}} }} \overset{ + }{\mathop {{\text{Na}}}} + {\text{C}}{{\text{O}}_2} \uparrow + {{\text{H}}_2}{\text{O}}\)

4. Reaction with Bases

Acetic acid reacts with bases or alkalis to give salt and water as the products. Such reactions are called as neutralization reactions. For example,

\(\underset{{{\text{ Acetic acid }}}}{\mathop {{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}}}} + \underset{{\begin{array}{{c}} {{\text{ Sodium }}} \\ {{\text{ hydroxide }}} \\ \end{array} }}{\mathop {{\text{NaOH}}}} \to \underset{{{\text{ Sodium acetate }}}}{\mathop {{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{CO}}\overline {\text{O}} }} \overset{ + }{\mathop {{\text{Na}}}} + {{\text{H}}_2}{\text{O}}\)

\(\underset{{{\text{ Acetic acid }}}}{\mathop {{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}}}} + \underset{{\begin{array}{{c}} {{\text{ Ammonium }}} \\ {{\text{ hydroxide }}} \\ \end{array} }}{\mathop {{\text{N}}{{\text{H}}_4}{\text{OH}}}} \to \underset{{{\text{ }}\begin{array}{{c}} {{\text{ Ammonium }}} \\ {{\text{ ethanoate }}} \\ \end{array} {\text{ }}}}{\mathop {{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{CO}}\overline {\text{O}} }} \overset{ + }{\mathop {{\text{N}}{{\text{H}}_4}}} + {{\text{H}}_2}{\text{O}}\)

5. Reaction of Acetic Acid with Ammonia

Acetic acid, when heated with ammonia gives acetamide. The reaction can be given as,

\({\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}} + {\text{N}}{{\text{H}}_3}\,\underrightarrow \Delta \underset{{{\text{ acetamide }}}}{\mathop {\,{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{CON}}{{\text{H}}_2}}} + {{\text{H}}_2}{\text{O}}\)

6. Ester Formation

Acetic acid, when heated with ethanol in the presence of a small amount of concentrated sulphuric acid, a sweet-smelling ester called ethyl ethanoate will be formed. The chemical equation for the reaction can be given as,

\({\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}} + {\text{HO}}{{\text{C}}_2}{{\text{H}}_5}\,\underrightarrow {{{\text{H}}^ + }}\underset{{{\text{ ethyl ethanoate }}}}{\mathop {\,{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COO}}{{\text{C}}_2}{{\text{H}}_5}}} + {{\text{H}}_2}{\text{O}}\)

The ester so formed can be hydrolyzed in the presence of an acid or a base to produce ethanol and acetic acid. The chemical equation for such reaction can be given as,

6. Reduction

The reduction of acetic acid using a strong reducing agent gives ethanol. The chemical equation for the reaction can be given as,

\(\mathop {{\rm{C}}{{\rm{H}}_3}{\rm{COOH}}}\limits_{{\rm{Acetic}}\,\,{\rm{acid}}}  + 4\left[ {\rm{H}} \right] \to \mathop {{{\rm{C}}_2}{{\rm{H}}_5}{\rm{OH}}}\limits_{{\rm{Ethanol}}}  + {{\rm{H}}_2}{\rm{O}}\)

7. Dehydration

Acetic acid, on heating with a dehydrating agent like phosphorous pentoxide, loses water and produces acetic anhydride. The chemical equation for the reaction can be given as,

8. Action of Chlorine

When chlorine gas is passed through a boiling solution of acetic acid, the hydrogen atoms of the methyl group are replaced one by one, and finally trichloroacetic acid is formed. The reactions can be given as,

\({\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}} + {\text{C}}{{\text{l}}_2} \to \underset{{{\text{ monochloroethanoic acid }}}}{\mathop {{\text{ClC}}{{\text{H}}_2}{\text{COOH}}}} + {\text{HCl}}\)

\({\text{ClC}}{{\text{H}}_2}{\text{COOH}} + {\text{C}}{{\text{l}}_2} \to \underset{{{\text{ dichloroethanoic acid }}}}{\mathop {{\text{C}}{{\text{l}}_2}{\text{CHCOOH}}}} + {\text{HCl}}\)

\({\text{C}}{{\text{l}}_2}{\text{CHCOOH}} + {\text{C}}{{\text{l}}_2} \to \underset{{{\text{ trichloroethanoic acid }}}}{\mathop {{\text{C}}{{\text{l}}_3}{\text{CCOOH}}}} + {\text{HCl}}\)

9. Reaction with \({\text{PC}}{{\text{l}}_5}\)

Acetic acid reacts with \({\text{PC}}{{\text{l}}_5}\) (Phosphorous pentachloride) to give acetyl chloride and phosphoryl chloride. The chemical equation for the reaction can be given as,

\(\underset{{{\text{ Acetic acid }}}}{\mathop {{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}}}} + {\text{PC}}{{\text{l}}_5} \to \underset{{{\text{Acetyl}}\,{\text{chloride}}}}{\mathop {{\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COCl}}}} + \underset{\begin{subarray}{l} {\text{phosphoryl}} \\ {\text{Chloride}} \end{subarray} }{\mathop {{\text{POC}}{{\text{l}}_3}}} + {\text{HCl}}\)

Uses of Acetic Acid

Below we have provided the uses of acetic acid:

1. A dilute solution of acetic acid is used as Vinegar, which is used to preserve foods such as sausage and pickles.
2. Pure acetic acid is used as a solvent and a chemical reagent.
3. It is used in the production of perfumes, dyes, esters, etc.
4. It is used for coagulating rubber from latex.
5. It is also used in medicines.
6. It is used for the manufacture of cellulose acetate, which is used for packaging materials, rayon, varnishes, etc.

Summary

In this article, we learned that the term acetic acid comes from the word ‘acetum’, which means Vinegar. The chemical formula of acetic acid is \({\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}}.\) The dilute solution of acetic acid or ethanoic acid results in the formation of vinegar. Vinegar comprises of acetic acid as the primary component. Vinegar is commonly referred to as a preservative in pickles. Vinegar is also used in cooking. It also helps in weight loss and in decreasing cholesterol and blood sugar.

FAQs on Vinegar Formula

Q.1. What is the formula of Vinegar?
Ans: Vinegar is the dilute solution of acetic acid or ethanoic acid. Acetic acid is the primary component of Vinegar. Therefore, the chemical formula of Vinegar is the chemical formula of acetic acid, \({\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}}.\)

Q.2. What is the chemical name and chemical formula for Vinegar?
Ans: Vinegar is the dilute solution of acetic acid. As acetic acid is the primary component of Vinegar, the chemical name of Vinegar can be acetic acid and the chemical formula of Vinegar is the chemical formula of acetic acid, \({\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}}.\)

Q.3. What happens when baking soda reacts with Vinegar?
Ans: Vinegar reacts with baking soda to give sodium ethanoate, water along with the liberation of carbon dioxide gas. That is,

\({\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{COOH}} + {\text{NaHC}}{{\text{O}}_3} \to {\text{C}}{{\text{H}}_3}{\text{CO}}\overline {\text{O}} \overset{ + }{\mathop {{\text{Na}}}} + {{\text{H}}_2}{\text{O}} + {\text{C}}{{\text{O}}_2} \uparrow \)

During the process, first, the bicarbonate ion present in baking soda reacts to form carbonic acid, which then suddenly decomposes to give carbon dioxide and water.

Q.4. Is Vinegar bad for health?
Ans: Vinegar is not bad for health when consumed in very less quantities along with food, juice, etc. But direct consumption of Vinegar can cause the tooth to erode, inflame the esophagus and stomach, etc. due to the acetic acid present in it.

Q.5. Can Vinegar lower blood sugar?
Ans: Yes, some studies have proved that Vinegar helps in lowering the blood sugar level and insulin levels.

It is very important to know the formula, uses, preparation methods, etc. of a compound that we use almost everyday. Also, the topic is very important for exams and for future entrances. We hope this article on ‘Vinegar Formula’ has helped you. If you have any queries, drop a comment below and we will get back to you”.