Talk:Acetic Anhydride

Good Article nomination has failed
The Good article nomination for has failed for the following reason:
 * Needs more

This is a nice basic introduction to the topic, perfect for a beginner in the subject. However it does lack depth, detail and good examples, IMHO. How is cellulose acetate made with it (the major use). What about its instability in presence of acid? (I've had it explode all over me once before, not nice!). The article says that "an aqueous solution cannot exist" yet some books list it as soluble - can you confirm that it reacts instantaneously? If it reacts only slowly (at first) then maybe solutions are possible for short periods. Could we have some examples of its use in synthesis, for example in the Pummerer rearrangement or as a standard quench in the Julia-Lythgoe olefination? Other reactions could include acetylation of amines. As for preparation, is the prep shown the usual method, and if so can we have some conditions? To a beginner it would seem very odd that it reacts so easily with water yet the reverse reaction is how it's made! I had thought it was made by adjusting the water content in the Monsanto process such that the acetyl iodide intermediate was quenched by acetic acid rather than by water - can anyone confirm that? There is also the old ketene method of preparation, isn't that worth mentioning too? These are not really criticisms, more a "to-do list", and I'm sure others could add much more. Walkerma 03:50, 19 April 2006 (UTC)
 * Thanks for the feedback, I'll see if some of this can be expanded upon Scot  t  16:02, 19 April 2006 (UTC)