Salts and esters of acetic acid are called acetates. They are used mainly as a mordant, with the help of which dyes are fixed on the fiber. In particular, potassium acetate (the systematic name in English is Potassium acetate, synonymous with potassium salt) is a potassium salt of acetic acid, has the chemical formula CH3COOK. The molar mass is 98.15 g / mol.
Under normal conditions, potassium acetate is a white crystalline powder that is hygroscopic, so it spreads out in air. The density is 1.57 g / cm³. Salt is highly soluble in water: a little more than 200 g of salt at 20 ° C and 492 g at 62 ° C are dissolved in 100 ml. Potassium acetate is readily soluble in alcohol (methanol and ethanol) and in ammonia, insoluble in ether and acetone. The decomposition temperature of potassium acetate is plus 292 ° C.
Potassium acetate is obtained by the interaction of such basic compounds as potassium hydroxide (KOH) or potassium carbonate (K2CO3) with acetic acid as a result of the neutralization reaction: KOH + CH3COOH → CO2 + CH3COOK + H2O or double exchange: K2CO3 + CH3COOH → CO2 + CH3COOK + H2O . For metals standing in a series of stresses to the left of hydrogen, for example, potassium or magnesium, a reaction of interaction with acids that are not oxidizing agents is characteristic. Such acids include acetic acid. When it interacts, for example, with magnesium, magnesium acetate is obtained: Mg + 2CH3COOH → Mg (CH3COO) 2 + H2. But this method does not have practical application for obtaining magnesium or potassium salt of acetic acid. In a free state, these metals do not exist in nature, and potassium easily reacts with water due to its chemical activity and is oxidized by atmospheric oxygen. It is also a very expensive metal and is used even less frequently than sodium.
According to GOST 5820-78, potassium acetate is used in the production of silicon organic polymers (silicones are an important and promising direction in the production of polymer products). Potassium acetate is also used as a catalyst in the production of polyurethanes. Another important area of application of potassium acetate is its use as an anti-icer. This reagent has several advantages (it is less aggressive with respect to the soil) and therefore replaces magnesium or calcium chloride when processing runways at airports, and its corrosive effect on metals is less than that of chlorides. Potassium acetate is harmless to most surfaces, including concrete, metal, wood, gutters, lawns and vegetation. But since its price is higher than that of chlorides, the latter are often preferred, despite environmental violations and greater wear and tear on equipment. In addition, potassium acetate is an effective fire extinguisher and is used to extinguish fires. It is used to extinguish oil fires.
Potassium acetate is used not only in industrial facilities, but also in medicine and the food industry (effective preservative E261, produced according to GOST 5820-78). For comparison: another salt of this carboxylic acid - calcium acetate - has no industrial use. It is obtained only in laboratory conditions as a result of the action of acetic acid on calcium carbonate. The reaction is continued until complete carbon dioxide evolution: CaCO3 + 2CH3COOH → CO2 ↑ + (CH3COO) 2Ca + H2O. (CH3COO) 2Ca is used only as an E263 food supplement, because (like CH3COOK) it is an effective preservative.
With replacement therapy, potassium acetate is used to treat diabetic ketoacidosis. As a result, it is possible to prevent a diabetic ketoacidotic coma, which can occur as a result of metabolic acidosis (a decrease in pH) caused by metabolic disorders due to a deficiency of the pancreatic hormone (insulin). A high concentration of glucose and ketone bodies in the blood, which significantly exceeds physiological values, leads to a diabetic ketoacidotic coma. Potassium acetate is used as a dietary supplement, as it can reduce acidity by decomposing to bicarbonate. For this reason, it is used to treat patients with a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.