Acrylic Acid
Acrylic acid (2-propenoic acid) is a highly reactive
carboxylic acid that can react with itself to form polyacrylic acid, which is
used as an absorbent in hygiene products.
It also can react with alcohols to
form acrylates (esters) that are used in a wide range of polymers.
However,
polymers commonly called acrylic (Plexiglas, textiles, etc.) contain acrylate
monomers but are often produced from chemicals other than acrylic acid.