Aluminium acetate


Aluminium acetate or aluminium ethanoate, sometimes abbreviated AlAc in geochemistry, can refer to a number of different salts of aluminum with acetic acid. In the solid state, three salts exist under this name: basic aluminium monoacetate, 2AlCH3CO2, basic aluminium diacetate, HOAl2, and neutral aluminium triacetate, Al3. In aqueous solution, aluminium triacetate hydrolyses to form a mixture of the other two, and all solutions of all three can be referred to as "aluminium acetate" as the species formed co-exist and inter-convert in chemical equilibrium.

Aluminium monoacetate

Aluminium monoacetate is prepared by the diformate, Al2 • H2O, crystallizing from a concentrated solutions of newly precipitated Al3 in formic acid. With an excess of the acid, Al3 • 3H2O crystallizes.

Aluminium diacetate

Aluminium diacetate, the basic acetates, are prepared from aqueous aluminium acetate solution resulting in white powders. This basic salt forms in water.

Aluminium triacetate

Aluminium triacetate is a chemical compound that is prepared by heating aluminium chloride or Al powder with a mixture of acetic acid and acetic anhydride. It is referred as the normal salt and is only made in the absence of water at a relatively high temperature like 180 °C.