Abstract– The Salicylic acid is known to be a raw material for the manufacture of acetylsalicylic acid, commonly known as aspirin. The manufacturing process of salicylic acid starts with phenol and sodium to make dry powder of phenolate soda. Subsequently, the powder is subjected to high pressure carbon dioxide and producing sodium salicylate. Then, sodium salicylate was cooled and diluted with water this was filtered and treated with activated charcoal and acidified with sulfuric acid. The precipitate obtained was centrifuged and dried to afford salicylic acid.

The aim of this study was to examine the possible contamination by iron and whether if could affect the quality the end product. It was detected that there is a significant presence of iron in some stages of the process; however the pH conditions used allow their removal to levels that do not affect the quality the end product.

Keywords—Salicylic acid, Chemical reactions, Carboxylation, Sodium Salicylate .