The chemical name of aspirin is

Options

A. methyl salicylate
B. ethyl salicylate
C. 2 - hydroxybenzoic acid
D. 2 - acetoxybenzoic acid

Answer

To determine the chemical name of aspirin, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Composition of Aspirin
Aspirin is derived from salicylic acid, which is a compound that contains a benzene ring with hydroxyl (OH) and carboxyl (COOH) functional groups.

**Hint:** Look for the basic structure of salicylic acid to understand how aspirin is formed.

### Step 2: Identify the Reaction Involved
Aspirin is synthesized through the reaction of salicylic acid with acetic anhydride. In this reaction, an acetyl group is introduced to the salicylic acid.

**Hint:** Remember that acetic anhydride is used to introduce the acetyl group to the salicylic acid.

### Step 3: Analyze the Resulting Structure
The reaction results in the formation of aspirin, which has the following structure: it contains a benzene ring, a carboxyl group, and an acetyl group. The specific arrangement of these groups leads to the chemical name.

**Hint:** Focus on the functional groups present in the final structure of aspirin.

### Step 4: Determine the Chemical Name
The chemical name of aspirin is 2-acetoxybenzoic acid. This name reflects the presence of the acetoxy group (derived from acetic acid) and the benzoic acid structure.

**Hint:** The prefix "2-" indicates the position of the acetoxy group on the benzene ring.

### Final Answer
The chemical name of aspirin is **2-acetoxybenzoic acid**.