OVERVIEW OF ZINC ACETATE

Zinc acetate is the chemical compound with the formula Zn(O₂CCH₃)₂ but more commonly refers to the dihydrate Zn(O₂CCH₃)2(H₂O)₂. Both the hydrate and the anhydrous forms are colorless solids that are commonly used in chemical synthesis and as dietary supplements. Zinc acetates are prepared by the action of acetic acid on zinc carbonate or zinc metal.

Basic properties and structures

Like virtually all zinc compounds, this salt consists of Zn²⁺ ions. The acetate group is capable of binding to metal ions in a variety of ways through its two oxygen atoms and several connectiviites are observed for the various hydrates of zinc acetate. Anhydrous zinc acetate adopts a polymeric structure consisting of zinc coordinated to four oxygen atoms in a tetrahedral environment, each tetrahedron being connected to neighbors by the acetate groups. The acetate ligands are not bidentate. In contrast, most metal diacetates feature metals in octahedral coordination with bidentate acetate groups. In zinc acetate dihydrate the zinc is octahedral, wherein both acetate groups are bidentate.

Basic zinc acetate

Heating Zn(CH₃CO₂)₂ in a vacuum results in loss of acetic anhydride, leaving a residue of "basic zinc acetate," with the formula Zn₄O(CH₃CO₂)₆. This cluster compound has the tetrahedral structure shown below. This species closely resembles the corresponding the analogous beryllium compound, although it is slightly expanded with Zn-O distances ~1.97 vs ~1.63 Å for Be₄O(OAc)₆