A European Informational Website
learn more
An acid anhydride is an organic compound which has two acyl groups bound to the same oxygen atom.[1] When the two acyl groups are directly derived from a carboxylic acid (the most common case), the general formula is R–CO–O–CO–R. Symmetrical acid anhydrides of this type are named by replacing the word "acid" in the name of the parent carboxylic acid by the word "anhydride",[2] e.g., Acetic acid, CH<sub>3</sub>COOH → Acetic anhydride, CH<sub>3</sub>COOCOCH<sub>3</sub>.