Polyphosphoric Acid (PPA) is a complex mixture of phosphoric acids with varying degrees of polymerization. It's a viscous liquid with a wide range of applications in various industries:
- Dehydrating Agent: PPA is a powerful dehydrating agent, making it useful in organic synthesis reactions like cyclization and dehydration.
- Catalyst: It's used as a catalyst in various organic reactions, including Friedel-Crafts reactions and alkylation reactions.
- Phosphorylating Agent: It's used to introduce phosphate groups into organic molecules.
- Cleaning Agent: It's used in industrial cleaning applications, particularly for metal surfaces.