Question

Name the organic acid present in vinegar. Write a chemical equation which represents the commercial method for the preparation of this acid from methanol.

Answer 1

organic acid in vinegar is carboxylic acid.
preparation: methanol by oxidation i.e., by adding KMnO4 or K2Cr2O7 gives rise to vinegar.
CH3OH+KMnO4--Vinegar

Answer 2

The organic acid present in vinegar is acetic acid.

Explanation:

Vinegar is an aqueous solution with about 5-10% acetic acid. Depending upon the source material, it also can contain phenolic acid, flavonoids, and aldehydes.  

The chemical formula for acetic acid: $\mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{COOH}$

The chemical equation for the commercial preparation of acetic acid from methanol:

Commercial preparation of acetic acid from methanol can be done through both methanol carbonylation and methanol hydrocarboxylation.  

Methanol carbonylation:  

Methanol is made to react with carbon monoxide to prepare acetic acid in reactors under the catalytic action of Rhodium.  

$\mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{OH}+\mathrm{CO} \rightarrow \mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{COOH}$

This process is also called a Monsanto process.

Methanol hydro carboxylation:

Methanol is made to react with carbon dioxide and hydrogen to form acetic acid under the bimetallic catalytic action of Ru-Rh and ligand imidazole.  

$\mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{OH}+\mathrm{CO}_{2}+\mathrm{H}_{2} \rightarrow \mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{COOH}+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}$.