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Specialty Chemistry Forums => Citizen Chemist => Topic started by: noname on April 13, 2006, 01:35:55 PM

Title: Hydrochloric Acid from vinegar and salt
Post by: noname on April 13, 2006, 01:35:55 PM
Is it possible to create hydrochloric acid by dissolving salt into vinegar, CH3COOH + NaCl ==> HCl + ''some Sodium compund?''
Title: Re: Hydrochloric Acid from vinegar and salt
Post by: k1027iwi on April 13, 2006, 11:28:03 PM
Lets assume you are using table salt.

NaCl + CH3COOH --> Na(OOCCH3) + HCl

Theoretically, it should be possible.
Title: Re: Hydrochloric Acid from vinegar and salt
Post by: Mitch on April 13, 2006, 11:41:53 PM
I highly doubt any appreciable HCl could be made by the above method.
Title: Re: Hydrochloric Acid from vinegar and salt
Post by: woelen on April 14, 2006, 04:17:12 AM
Forget about this. Acetic acid is a weak acid and it certainly won't give up its protons to form a strong acid like HCl. Going the other way around does work. When you add sodium acetate to hydrochloric acid, then you obtain acetic acid and table salt.

Maybe, you could get some HCl in low yield if you add waterfree acetic acid (glacial acetic acid) to table salt. This depends on the solubility of HCl in acetic acid. At low solubility some HCl may be driven off.
Title: Re: Hydrochloric Acid from vinegar and salt
Post by: Will on April 15, 2006, 08:49:25 PM
Imagine what would happen when you put put vinegar on some salted chips (french fries)! :o

I don't think this would happen at all even if you used anhydrous CH3COOH.