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Chemistry

Laboratory Synthesis of Aspirin from Salicylic Acid

Quick fact

The key step in aspirin synthesis is the addition of an acetyl group to salicylic acid, which reduces the compound's acidity and harshness on the stomach while preserving its pain-relieving power.

Why this is interesting

You've likely taken aspirin for a headache, but did you know that this tiny white pill is the product of a simple chemical reaction first discovered in the 19th century?