acetal

n.

1. A colorless, flammable, volatile liquid, CH₃CH(OC₂H₅)₂, used in cosmetics and as a solvent.
2. Any of the class of compounds formed from aldehydes combined with alcohol.

[ACET(O)- + AL(COHOL).]

A geminal diether (R₁ = H). Ketals, considered a subclass of acetals, are also geminal diethers (R₁ = C, aliphatic or aromatic). Acetals are (1) independent structural units or a part of certain biological and commercial polymers, (2) blocking or protecting groups for complex molecules undergoing selective synthetic transformations, and (3) entry compounds for independent organic chemical reactions. See also Polyacetal.

Acetals are easily prepared by the reaction of aldehydes with excess alcohol, under acid-catalyzed conditions. This is usually a two-step process (see reaction below) in which an aldehyde is

treated with an alcohol to yield a less stable hemiacetal, which then reacts with additional alcohol to give the acetal. Protonic or Lewis acids are effective catalysts for acetal formation; dehydrating agents, such as calcium chloride and molecular sieves, can also be used for molecules, such as sugars, where acids may cause problems. Less common acetal preparations are Grignard reagent condensation with orthoformates and mercuric-catalyzed additions of alcohols to acetylenes. See also Aldehyde; Ketone; Organic synthesis.

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An organic compound formed by a combination of an aldehyde with an alcohol.

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - acetal

Nederlands (Dutch)
acetaal (chemische verbinding)

Français (French)
n. - acétal

Deutsch (German)
n. - (chem.) Acetal

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (χημ.) ακετάλη

Italiano (Italian)
acetale

Português (Portuguese)
n. - acetal (m) (Quím.)

Русский (Russian)
ацеталь

Español (Spanish)
n. - acetal

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - acetal

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
乙缩醛, 乙缩醛二乙醇

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 乙縮醛, 乙縮醛二乙醇

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 아세탈(수면제)

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - アセタール, アセタール樹脂

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) أسيتال : سائل طيار عديم اللون‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮תרכובת אורגנית שנוצרה מדחיסה של שתי פרודות אלכוהול עם פרודת אלדהיד, אצטאל (תרכובת)‬

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