Answer to Question #184293 in General Chemistry for Lele

Question

The rol Acetic anhydride in the Aspirin production is ?

Answer 1

Because acetyl salicylic acid, aka Aspirin, has an acetate group, and acetic anhydride has one that is a good leaving group. Basically, the acid acts as a catalyst (not protonating water though, because acetic anhydride is violently reactive with water), and the hydroxyl on 2-hydroxybenzoic acid acts as a nucleophile.