acetic anhydride

Acetic anhydride, or ethanoic anhydride, is the chemical compound with the formula (CH₃CO)₂O. Commonly abbreviated Ac₂O, it is the simplest isolable anhydride of a carboxylic acid and is widely used as a reagent in organic synthesis. It is a colorless liquid that smells strongly of acetic acid, which is formed by its reaction with moisture in the air.