Butyric acid

Butryic acid, known as butanoic acid is a carboxylic acids.

Carboxylic acids seem to be a combination of an alcohol(OH), and an aldehyde(C=O) in that their functional group has both a C=O and an –O=H on the first carbon atom of the chain.

Suffix is anoic acid. Moreover, there are no different isomers as both attaching groups have to be on the first carbon atom of the chain.

Chemical Formula :C₄H₈O₂

Scientific Name: Butanoic acid

Common Name: Butryic acid

The substance is a medium strong acid. It reacts with bases and strong oxidants, and attacks many metals.

Physical Properties

• Flash point: 72°C c.c.
• Auto-ignition temperature: 452°C
• Explosive limits, vol% in air: 2-10
• Octanol/water partition coefficient as log Pow: 0.79
• Boiling point: 164°C
• Melting point: -7.9°C
• Relative density (water = 1): 0.96
• Solubility in water: miscible
• Vapour pressure, Pa at 20°C: 57
• Relative vapour density (air = 1): 3

Original source of Butyric acid

Butyric acid is found in butter, parmesan cheese, vomit, and as a product of anaerobic fermentation.

   

Historical background

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Butyric acid is a clear, colorless liquid with an unpleasant, rancid, vomit-like odor.

Anti-abortion extremists began using butyric acid as a weapon against abortion facilities in early 1992.

The goal of introducing butyric acid into a clinic was to disrupt services, close the clinic, and harass patients and staff. Depending on the amount used and how it is introduced into the clinic, butyric acid can cause thousands of dollars of damage, requiring clinics to replace carpeting, furniture, and conduct extensive cleanup of the facility.

In addition, even after cleanup, butyric acid's smell leaves a reminder of the incident for months, and often years, to come.

 At last, there have been about 100 butyric acid attacks throughout the United States and Canada, causing in excess of $1 million in damages.

Uses

Butyric acid is used in the preparation of various butanoate esters.

Low-molecular-weight esters of butyric acid, such as methyl butanoate, have mostly pleasant aromas or tastes.

As a consequence, they find use as food and perfume additives.

Due to its powerful odor, it has also been used as a fishing bait additive.

Many of the commercially available flavours used in carp (Cyprinus carpio) baits use butyric acid as their ester base; however, it is not clear whether fish are attracted by the butyric acid itself or the additional substances added to it. Butyric acid was, however, one of the few organic acids shown to be palatable for both tench and bitterling.

Interesting Facts
- used in manufacturing of plastics

- used as a noxious, nausea-inducing repellent by anti-whaling protesters, against Japanese   whaling crews, as well as by anti-abortion protestors to disrupt and harass clinics.

  

 Additional Information

• The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its vapour. 
• No indication can be given about the rate in which a harmful concentration in the air is reached on evaporation of this substance at 20°C.
• The substance is corrosive to the eyes, the skin and the respiratory tract

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We chose the Butyric Acid for our project because we were learning about the acids when we were assigned this project, and we wanted to investigate our knowledge more deeply about this molecule. Bityric acid has most pleasant aromas and tastes. Thus, it is used as food and perume additives.

Unexpectedly, we could smell the unpleasent odor that filled our Chemistry class. First, we wondered where this odor came from, but Mr.Hsia soon told us it was the smell of butryic acid. We knew Butryic acid has unpleasent smell, but we didn't know it was this much terrible. After experiencing this, we could get more interests in butryic acid and could put more enthusiasm in our project