Calcium acetate
| Calcium acetate | |
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Calcium acetate |
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Other names
Acetate of lime |
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| Identifiers | |
| Abbreviations | Ca(OAc)2 |
| CAS number | 62-54-4  |
| PubChem | 6116 |
| ChemSpider | 5890 |
| UNII | Y882YXF34X |
| DrugBank | DB00258 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:3310 |
| RTECS number | AF7525000 |
| ATC code | A12,(anhydrous) |
| Jmol-3D images | Image 1 |
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| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | C4H6CaO4 |
| Molar mass | 158.17 g mol−1 |
| Appearance | White solid hygroscopic |
| Odor | slight acetic acid odor |
| Density | 1.509 g/cm3 |
| Melting point |
160 °C (decomposition to acetone) |
| Solubility in water | 37.4 g/100 mL (0 °C) 34.7 g/100 mL (20 °C) 29.7 g/100 mL (100 °C) |
| Solubility | slightly soluble in methanol insoluble in acetone, ethanol and benzene |
| Acidity (pKa) | 6.3-9.6 |
| Refractive index (nD) | 1.55 |
| Hazards | |
| NFPA 704 |
 1
1
0
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| Autoignition temperature |
680 - 730 °C |
| LD50 | 4280 mg/kg (oral, rat) |
 (verify) (what is:  / ?)Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) |
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| Infobox references | |
The chemical compound calcium acetate is the calcium salt of acetic acid. It has the formula Ca(C2H3O2)2. Its standard name is calcium acetate, while calcium ethanoate is the systematic IUPAC name. An older name is acetate of lime. The anhydrous form is very hygroscopic; therefore the monohydrate (Ca(CH3COO)2•H2O, CAS [5743-26-0]) is the common form.
If an alcohol is added to a saturated solution of calcium acetate, a semisolid, flammable gel forms that is much like "canned heat" products such as Sterno.[1] Chemistry teachers often prepare "California Snowballs", a mixture of calcium acetate solution and ethanol. The resulting gel is whitish in color, and can be formed to resemble a snowball.
Calclacite is a name for calcium acetate chloride pentahydrate, which is treated as mineral species but possess anthropogenic origin.
[edit] History
Because it is inexpensive, calcium acetate was once a common starting material for the synthesis of acetone before the development of the cumene process.[2] [3]
Calcium acetate can be prepared by soaking calcium carbonate (found in eggshells, or in common carbonate rocks such as limestone or marble) in vinegar. Since both reagents would have been available pre-historically, the chemical would have been observable as crystals then.
[edit] Uses
In kidney disease, blood levels of phosphate may rise (called hyperphosphatemia) leading to bone problems. Calcium acetate binds phosphate in the diet to lower blood phosphate levels. Side effects of this treatment include upset stomach.
Calcium acetate is used as a food additive, as a stabilizer, buffer and sequestrant, mainly in candy products. It also neutralizes fluoride in water.
[edit] References
- ^ "Canned Heat" at Journal of Chemical Education "Chemistry comes alive!"
- ^ Leo Frank Goodwin and Edward Tyghe Sterne (1920). "Losses Incurred in the Preparation of Acetone by the Distillation of Acetate of Lime.". Industrial & Engineering Chemistry 12 (3): 240–243. doi:10.1021/ie50123a012.
- ^ E. G. R. Ardagh, A. D. Barbour, G. E. McClellan, and E. W. McBride (1924). "Distillation of Acetate of Lime.". Industrial & Engineering Chemistry 16 (11): 1133–1139. doi:10.1021/ie50179a013.
