Auberon Waugh

An acid anhydride is a type of chemical compound derived by the removal of water molecules from an acid.

In organic chemistry, organic acid anhydrides contain the functional group −C(=O)−O−C(=O)−. Organic acid anhydrides often form when one equivalent of water is removed from two equivalents of an organic acid in a dehydration reaction.

In inorganic chemistry, an acid anhydride refers to an acidic oxide, an oxide that reacts with water to form an oxyacid (an inorganic acid that contains oxygen or carbonic acid), or with a base to form a salt.

• Base anhydride, an oxide that reacts with water to form a hydroxide salt