Dehydroacetic acid is an organic compound which has several industrial applications. The compound is classified as a pyrone derivative. It presents as an odorless, colorless to white crystalline powder, almost insoluble in water and moderately soluble in most organic solvents.

Preparation

It is prepared by the base-catalysed

dimerization A dimer () (''wikt:di-, di-'', "two" + ''-mer'', "parts") is an oligomer consisting of two monomers joined by bonds that can be either strong or weak, Covalent bond, covalent or Intermolecular force, intermolecular. Dimers also have significant im ...

of diketene. Commonly used organic bases include imidazole, DABCO, and pyridine.

Uses

Industrially, dehydroacetic acid has several uses which include the following: * as a

fungicide Fungicides are biocidal chemical compounds or biological organisms used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores. A fungistatic inhibits their growth. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality, ...

and bactericide. The sodium salt, sodium dehydroacetate, is often used in place of dehydroacetic acid because of its greater solubility in water. * as a food preservative to prevent pickle bloating in squash and

strawberries The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus '' Fragaria'', collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit. The fruit is widely ap ...

. When used as a food additive, dehydroacetic acid is referred to using the

International Numbering System for Food Additives The International Numbering System for Food Additives (INS) is a European-based naming system for food additives, aimed at providing a short designation of what may be a lengthy actual name."Class Names and the International Numbering System for F ...

E number E numbers ("E" stands for "Europe") are codes for substances used as food additives, including those found naturally in many foods such as vitamin C, for use within the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Commonly ...

265. * as a plasticizer in synthetic resins. * as an antienzyme in toothpastes. * as a precursor for dimethyl- 4-pyridones. The compounds are synthesized when dehydroacetic acid is exposed to aqueous solutions containing primary amines.

References

{{Reflist Fungicides 4-Pyrones