Salicylic acid Salicylic acid is a white crystalline powder or needle-shaped crystals with sweetish taste. Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (bha) with the formula c6h4(oh)co2h, where the oh group is adjacent to the carboxyl group. This organic acid is widely used in organic synthesis and functions as a plant hormone. It is derived from the metabolism of salicin. It is probably best known as a compound that is chemically similar to but not identical to the active component of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). Basic information Item index Chemical name benzoic acid-2hydroxcy; 2-hydroxybenzoic acid; o-hydroxybenzoic acid; phenol-2-carboxylic acid; salonil; 2-hydroxybenzenecarboxylic acid; 2-carboxyphenol; o-carboxyphenol; acido o-idrossibenzoico (italian); acido salicilico (italian); 2-hydroxy-benzoic acid; o-hydroxybenzoic acid; 2-hydroxybenzoic acid; kyselina 2-hydroxybenzoova (czech); kyselina salicylova (czech); orthohydroxybenzoic acid; Molecular formula hoc5h4cooh Molecular weight: 138.12 Structural formula Cas no. 69-72-7 Usage medicine of disinfecting and antiseptic for dissolving skin cutin hyperplasia and skin mould infection