How is oxalic acid made and its properties

How is oxalic acid made is a very common question. It is imperative to know about oxalic acid as it can be toxic for you if ingested in large quantities. Oxalic acid is mainly synthesized by oxidizing a compound called oxalate with chlorine or manganese dioxide. The chemical reaction which takes place between the two produces a gas and yields oxalic acid as the product formed. This reaction takes place in an acidic medium with some temperature, so that the chlorine or manganese dioxide react well with oxalate under these conditions.

Properties of oxalic acid

1.Chemical formula

The chemical formula of oxalic acid is C₂H₂O₄. It is a white crystalline solid with a melting point of 3.2 and a specific gravity of 1.52. It is soluble in water, alcohol and other organic solvents. The formula explains how is oxalic acid made since it shows all the elements used

2.Density

The density of oxalic acid is 1.52g/cm³. It has a melting point of 3 and a boiling point of 104. It dissolves completely in water, alcohol and other polar solvents such as acetone, ether, benzene and carbon tetrachloride; sparingly in hexane, petroleum ether, benzene and other non-polar solvents such as benzene.

3.Molar mass

The molar mass of oxalic acid is 152.1g/mol. It is a white crystalline solid with a melting point of 98 and a specific gravity of 1.51. It is soluble in water, alcohol and other organic solvents.

4.Structure

Oxalic acid is a neutral carbonic acid which has an acetate group in its structure. It is an unstable acid in both water and alcohol so that it cannot be stored under normal conditions; only when the temperature is kept above its boiling point, it can be stored. But this fact poses no problems because it can be made easily with chemicals normally available at home; i.e., manganese dioxide or chlorine gas.

5.Odor

Oxalic acid has a faint, slightly sour odor but becomes very irritating when it is in contact with skin. Its corrosiveness and irritation can lead to burns in the case of injudicious handling so that protection from contact with skin is necessary.

6.Health concerns of oxalic acid

Oxalic acid is toxic if ingested in large quantities. It produces sharp pain throughout the body, especially in the abdomen and in the joints. It can cause death due to its severe effects on the heart and lungs and because it leads to severe burns of mouth, throat and stomach if swallowed during eating or drinking.

Uses of Oxalic acid

1.It is used in removing rust

This chemical is mainly made to make oxalic acid. It is useful in removing rust from iron and steel by treating it with this chemical. It is also used in dissolving removes rust from metal objects like number plates of cars and other vehicles.

2.It is used in making ink and pesticides

It is an important raw material for the production of ink, paint and dyes. It also serves as a fungicide as it kills fungal growth. It is useful in making pesticides for plants and animals for controlling insects, mites etc., and their growth is also affected by oxalic acid to some extent.

5.It serves as an antiseptic and dye fixative

Oxalic acid is also used in making of dyes and other chemicals like cosmetics, glues and fertilizers. It is a good antiseptic which can be used to treat wounds by washing them with it. It may cause irritation on the skin but not much pain so that it cannot be said that it is a good corrosive substance in the sense that hydrochloric acid or nitric acid are strong oxidizers, though oxalic acid is a weak oxidizer.

6.It is used as a disulfide reducing agent and denaturant

Oxalic acid is an important disulfide reducing agent. It can react with secondary amines to produce them as a mixture of di- and tri-sulfides. It also acts as a denaturant in the sense that it reduces fiinethylamine, choline and other compounds to their original compounds which otherwise have been denatured by other chemicals such as acids or alkalis in the process of chemical reactions.

7.It is used in making of things like pills, ointments and soaps

Oxalic acid is used in making of soaps, pills and other similar products like toothpaste. It is also useful in making soap as it gives good lather with low water content. This makes it a very useful chemical for manufacturing cosmetic products. It can also be used as an antiseptic against bacteria and fungi by washing the skin with oxalic acid or its solutions; or these can be mixed in other compounds for unguents which are antiseptic against fungi, bacteria etc..

In conclusion, how is oxalic acid made is essentially a simple chemical reaction which is easy to prepare. It forms a gas in the presence of some temperature, and reacts with oxalate to produce oxalic acid as the product formed. This reaction takes place in an acidic medium with some temperature, and chlorine or manganese dioxide react well under these conditions to form the gas which combines with the oxalate to form oxalic acid as the yield of this reaction.