The study of whether glycolic acid is inactivated in contact with water
The presence of glycolic acid has many applications in the chemical industry. However, when it encounters water, the change of activity is quite doubtful. Now explore in detail to make sense.

Glycolic acid is active and essential in many reaction systems. Water is a common solvent, and all biochemistry depends on it. When glycolic acid is mixed with water, its molecules interact rapidly.

Or, the existence of water can cause the dissociation of glycolic acid molecules. Glycolic acid has a carboxyl group. In water, the carboxyl group or is connected to the water molecule by hydrogen bonds, resulting in a change in the distribution of the electron cloud at the active site of the carboxyl group. In this way, the original chemical reaction activity of glycolic acid may be reduced.

Another view holds that although water interacts with glycolic acid, the chemical structure of the core of glycolic acid is not fundamentally damaged. Its carboxyl and hydroxyl groups still exist on the molecule, and if the environment is suitable, they can still exhibit inherent chemical activity. For example, in a specific catalytic system, although there is water on the side, glycolic acid can still participate in reactions such as esterification, and its activity is not completely lost.

To sum up, glycolic acid is not absolutely inactivated when it encounters water. Although water disturbs its molecular state, the change of activity depends on the specific chemical environment, such as temperature, pH value, and other substances that coexist. The synergistic effect of various factors determines the final activity of glycolic acid.