Sodium acetate

 

Sodium acetate

Chemical formula	CH3COONa
OTP appearance	white solid
Molar Mass(g/mol)	82.03
Density(g/cc)	1.528
Melting Point(°C)	324
Boiling Point(°C)	881
Solubility in water(g/L)	1233
Solubility in ethanol(g/L)	23
NFPA 704	1 1 0

Uses

Primary

• Source of acetate group
• Feedstock for laboratory preparation of methane
• Heat packs

Character

• As the salt of a weak acid and a strong base, the aqueous solution of this compound is basic. It has a pH of about 9. N.B.: The pH can be lowered by dissolved CO2, so measuring it at a higher temperature will give a more accurate result.

Production

Synthesis

Combine sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, or sodium hydroxide with acetic acid

NaOH + CH₃COOH → CH₃COONa + H₂O