Succinic Acid

Succinic acid (butanedioic acid) is a dicarboxylic acid that occurs naturally in plant and animal tissues. The chemical is also known as “Spirit of Amber.” When it was first discovered, it was extracted from amber by pulverizing and distilling it using a sand bath. It was primarily used externally for rheumatic aches and pains.

Almost infinite esters can be obtained from carboxylic acids. Esters are produced by combining an acid with an alcohol and removal of a water molecule. Carboxylic acid esters are used in a variety of direct and indirect applications.

Lower chain esters are used as flavoring base materials, plasticizers, solvent carriers and coupling agents. Higher chain compounds are used as components in metalworking fluids, surfactants, lubricants, detergents, oiling agents, emulsifiers, wetting agents, textile treatments and emollients.

Esters are also used as intermediates for the manufacture of a variety of target compounds. The almost infinite esters provide a wide range of viscosity, specific gravity, vapor pressure, boiling point, and other physical and chemical properties for the proper application selections.

Applications

TCC’s succinic acid is used as a flavoring agent for food and beverages. Producing five heterocyclic compounds, it is used as an intermediate for dyes, perfumes, lacquers, photographic chemicals, alkyd resins, plasticizers, metal treatment chemicals, and coatings. It is also used in the manufacture of medicines for sedatives, antispasmers, antiplegm, antiphogistic, anrhoers, contraceptives, and cancer-curing.

 

Shipping Information

Succinic acid from The Chemical Company is available for shipping throughout the continental United States with 1 week lead time. Please call (401) 360-2800 for details. Standard packaging for the product is 25kg bags, 1 met ton supersacks, and in bulk.  Special packaging is available upon request.

Description

TCC’s succinic acid is a dicarboxylic acid comprised of four carbon atoms.

This four carbon dicarboxylic acid has uses in a number of industries including polymers (clothing fibres), food, surfactants and detergents, flavors and fragrances and as a starting material for any number of chemicals including adipic acid, N-methyl pyrrolidinone, 2-pyrrolidinone, succinate salts, 1,4-butanediol, maleic anhydride, tetrahydrofuran and gamma-butyrolactone, which are used in the pharmaceutical industry. Succinic acid has many uses in the pharma industry – too many to mention, but some examples are as a starting material for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), as an additive in formulation, succinic acid monoethyl ester has been used as an insulinotropic agent, and the compound has also been used as a cross linker in drug control release polymers.

The estimated 2010 worldwide use of succinic acid is around 20,000 to 30,000 tonnes per year and this is on the increase by around 10 per cent a year. It occurs naturally in plant and animal tissues. The chemical plays a significant role in intermediary metabolism (Krebs cycle) in the body. The Krebs cycle (also known as citric acid cycle) is a sequence process of enzymatic reaction in which a two-carbon acetyl unit is oxidized to carbon dioxide and water to provide energy in the form of high-energy phosphate bonds.

Succinic acid is a colorless crystalline solid with a melting point of 185-187° C. It is soluble in water, slightly dissolves in ethanol, ether, acetone and glycerine. It does not dissolve in benzene, carbon sulfide, carbon tetrachloride or oil ether.

Carboxylic acids can yield acyl halides, anhydrides, esters, amides, and nitriles for applications in the drug, agriculture, food products, and other industries.

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