Joel M. answered • 10/15/19
Ph.D in Chemistry- Years of teaching children to graduate level
Salycilic acid is, in fact, a compound with polar bonds, and would be observed to have relatively polar interactions in chromatography experiments, etc. You are correct in pointing out that the hydroxyl and carboxyl groups are the two functional groups that would cause the polarity due to the electronegative oxygen atoms in the two functional groups.
* It is important to note that molecules have polar bonds, but overall polarity is generally discussed as a relative thing. i.e. salicylic acid is more polar than hexanes.
If there is a specific example problem you are referencing, that may help with clarity of the answer.
