The phenolate ion can react with carbon dioxide to form carboxylic acids. This reaction is one of the steps in the synthesis of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). The reaction, which is carried out under 100 atm. pressure of carbon dioxide, is called the Kolbe reaction. It is named after the German chemist H.

What is Kolbe reaction in chemistry?

1 : the synthesis of a hydrocarbon (as ethane) by the electrolysis of a salt (as sodium acetate) 2 : the synthesis of salicylic acid by heating a mixture of sodium phenoxide and carbon dioxide under pressure at 180° to 200° C.

What is a Phenolate?

Phenolate is a phenolate anion that is the conjugate base of phenol obtained by deprotonation of the OH group. It has a role as a human xenobiotic metabolite. It is a conjugate base of a phenol. ChEBI.