If you mix acetylsalicylic acid with baking soda what exactly happens?

Mixing acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) can generate sodium acetylsalicylate, water and carbon dioxide (CO2). The overall reaction is an acid-base reaction between a weak acid (acetylsalicylic acid) and a base (sodium bicarbonate), resulting in a salt (sodium acetylsalicylate) and water. The reaction can be represented as follows:

C9H8O4 (aq) + NaHCO3 (aq) → C9H7O4Na (aq) + H2O (l) + CO2 (g)

Key points about the reaction:

Sodium Acetylsalicylate Formation: The product of the reaction is sodium acetylsalicylate, which has a higher water solubility than aspirin. This property makes sodium acetylsalicylate more readily absorbable by the body compared to aspirin.

Effervescence: The release of carbon dioxide gas generates bubbles and causes an effervescent reaction when the two substances are mixed in water. This effervescence is due to the formation of carbonic acid (H2CO3), which subsequently decomposes into water and carbon dioxide.

Neutralization: The reaction leads to the neutralization of the acidic properties of acetylsalicylic acid. This results in a decrease in the acidity of the solution.

It's important to note that this reaction is typically carried out when sodium bicarbonate is added to an aspirin solution rather than mixing the solid forms directly. The effervescence produced during the reaction can be utilized in certain pharmaceutical formulations to improve drug delivery and absorption.