2-Hydroxyisobutyric acid

Overview IFRA Botanical Request a quote

  • Identifiers

    CAS number
    594-61-6

    Molecular formula
    C4H8O3

    SMILES
    CC(C)(C(=O)O)O

    Safety labels

    Corrosive
    Corrosive

    Irritant
    Irritant

  • Odor profile

    Buttery 56.15%
    Creamy 46.5%
    Caramellic 43.52%
    Milky 41.98%
    Sour 41.81%
    Odorless 37.48%
    Dairy 35.93%
    Cheesy 33.16%
    Fatty 30.52%
    Sweet 30.22%

    Scent© AI

  • Properties

    XLogP3-AA
    -0.4

    Molecular weight
    104.1 g/mol

    Vapor pressure est.

    • hPa @ 20°C
    • hPa @ 25°C

    Evaporation rate
    Slow

    Melting point expt.

    • 82.5 °C

    Boiling point

    • 212.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg

    Flash point est.
    92.21 ˚C

  • Synonyms

    • 2-HYDROXYISOBUTYRIC ACID
    • 594-61-6
    • 2-Methyllactic acid
    • 2-Hydroxy-2-methylpropanoic acid
    • Acetonic acid
    • alpha-Hydroxyisobutyric acid
    • 2-Hydroxy-2-methylpropionic acid
    • Hydroxydimethylacetic acid
    • Propanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-
    • Lactic acid, 2-methyl-
    • Acetonate
    • 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-propanoic acid
    • alpha-Hydroxyisobutanoic acid
    • MFCD00004459
    • .alpha.-Hydroxyisobutyric acid
    • a-hydroxyisobutyric acid
    • Hydroxyisobutyrate
    • UNII-DMW250U2HF
    • alpha-HIB
    • NSC 4505
    • l-2-methyllactate
    • a-Hydroxyisobutyrate
    • a-Hydroxyisobutanoate
    • NSC 402158
    • Hydroxydimethylacetate
    • alpha-Hydroxy-alpha-methylpropanoic acid
    • HIBA
    • .alpha.-Hydroxyisobutanoic acid
    • Lactic acid, 2-methyl-, L-
    • a-HIB
    • DTXSID4032954
    • CHEBI:50129
    • l-2-methyllactic acid
    • 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-propionic acid
    • a-Hydroxyisobutanoic acid
    • NSC-4505
    • EINECS 209-848-8
    • METHYL LACTIC ACID
    • (CH3)2COHCOOH
    • NSC-402158
    • a-Hydroxy-a-methylpropanoate
    • DMW250U2HF
    • 2-Hydroxy-2-methylpropionate
    • AI3-31313
    • a-Hydroxy-a-methylpropanoic acid
    • DTXCID2012954
    • Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-2-hydroxy-
    • ISOBUTYRIC ACID, .ALPHA.-HYDROXY-
    • 2-Hydroxyisobutyricacid
    • .alpha.-Hydroxy-.alpha.-methylpropanoic acid
    • 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanoicacid
    • 2Methyllactic acid
    • hydroxyisobutyric acid
    • a-Hydroxy-isobutyrate
    • Lactic acid, 2methyl
    • alpha-hydroxy-isobutyrate
    • a-hydroxy-isobutyric acid
    • 2-hydroxy isobutyric acid
    • 2-hydroxy-isobutyric acid
    • alphahydroxyisobutyric acid
    • |A-Hydroxyisobutyric Acid
    • alphaHydroxyisobutanoic acid
    • 2-hydroxy-iso-butyric acid
    • a-Hydroxy-a-methylpropionate
    • alpha -hydroxyisobutyric acid
    • alpha-hydroxy isobutyric acid
    • alpha-hydroxy-isobutyric acid
    • SCHEMBL29373
    • 2-Methyl-2-hydroxypropanoate
    • 2Hydroxy2methylpropanoic acid
    • 2Hydroxy2methylpropionic acid
    • Lactic acid, 2methyl (8CI)
    • 2-Hydroxy-2-methylpropionsaeure
    • 2-Methyl-2-hydroxypropionsaeure
    • Propanoic acid, 2hydroxy2methyl
    • a-Hydroxy-a-methylpropionic acid
    • CHEMBL1345148
    • 2-HYDROXYISOBUTANOIC ACID
    • 2-methyl-2-hydroxypropanoic acid
    • NSC4505
    • acido 2-hidroxi-2-metilpropionico
    • METHYL LACTIC ACID [INCI]
    • 2-hydroxy-2-methyl propionic acid
    • alpha-Hydroxyisobutyric acid, 98%
    • alpha-Hydroxyisobutyric acid, 99%
    • acide 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanoique
    • alphaHydroxyalphamethylpropanoic acid
    • STR04462
    • Tox21_200123
    • LMFA01050417
    • NSC402158
    • s6307
    • AKOS001310472
    • CS-W016640
    • FH02742
    • HY-W015924
    • ISOBUTYRIC ACID, ALPHA-HYDROXY-
    • alpha-hydroxy-alpha-methylpropionic acid
    • s12287
    • NCGC00090926-01
    • NCGC00090926-02
    • NCGC00257677-01
    • CAS-594-61-6
    • PD123991
    • SY001526
    • DB-053392
    • A8360
    • M0360
    • NS00004422
    • EN300-59285
    • C21297
    • AB00984267-01
    • Q2735617
    • 2-Methyllactic acid; 2-Hydroxy-2-methylpropanoic acid
    • alpha-Hydroxyisobutyric acid, purum, >=98.0% (HPLC)
    • Z220542620

  • Applications

    2‑Hydroxyisobutyric acid (2‑HIBA, CAS 594‑61‑6) is a tertiary alpha‑hydroxy acid widely used as a complexing agent in cation‑exchange chromatography and capillary electrophoresis for rare‑earth/actinide separations and metal speciation studies, and as a mobile‑phase modifier/buffer in ion chromatography and LC to improve resolution and control cation retention; in organic and fine‑chemical synthesis, 2‑HIBA serves as a versatile building block for tert‑alcohol and acyl derivatives (e.g., 2‑hydroxyisobutyrylation reagents), enabling the preparation of pharmaceuticals, peptides, and functional materials; from a materials perspective, it is a promising bio‑based platform intermediate to methacrylic acid/methyl methacrylate and related poly(methacrylates) for optical plastics, coatings, and adhesives; in analytics, toxicology, and metabolism research, 2‑HIBA is used as a reference standard and as a urinary biomarker of MTBE/t‑butanol exposure and is monitored in metabolomics workflows; additionally, its mild chelation and buffering capacity make it useful in metal‑surface treatment, electroplating formulations, and laboratory buffer systems due to its high water solubility and controlled complexation.

  • Solubility @25˚C

    Solvent Solubility (g/L)
    ethanol 69.1
    methanol 116.1
    isopropanol 37.24
    water 462.16
    ethyl acetate 9.45
    n-propanol 36.64
    acetone 17.55
    n-butanol 31.6
    acetonitrile 10.32
    DMF 80.5
    toluene 1.6
    isobutanol 28.32
    1,4-dioxane 27.98
    methyl acetate 8.68
    THF 41.24
    2-butanone 11.53
    n-pentanol 18.69
    sec-butanol 37.02
    n-hexane 2.68
    ethylene glycol 116.82
    NMP 78.17
    cyclohexane 2.23
    DMSO 73.63
    n-butyl acetate 3.43
    n-octanol 13.34
    chloroform 6.18
    n-propyl acetate 4.85
    acetic acid 103.47
    dichloromethane 6.24
    cyclohexanone 14.53
    propylene glycol 95.71
    isopropyl acetate 7.96
    DMAc 71.3
    2-ethoxyethanol 65.78
    isopentanol 31.77
    n-heptane 2.44
    ethyl formate 17.1
    1,2-dichloroethane 4.69
    n-hexanol 15.19
    2-methoxyethanol 137.11
    isobutyl acetate 2.98
    tetrachloromethane 4.21
    n-pentyl acetate 5.77
    transcutol 65.91
    n-heptanol 16.83
    ethylbenzene 2.04
    MIBK 12.26
    2-propoxyethanol 40.13
    tert-butanol 67.24
    MTBE 17.75
    2-butoxyethanol 38.04
    propionic acid 35.87
    o-xylene 3.31
    formic acid 270.99
    diethyl ether 10.06
    m-xylene 2.69
    p-xylene 2.58
    chlorobenzene 1.45
    dimethyl carbonate 8.81
    n-octane 1.35
    formamide 215.56
    cyclopentanone 22.96
    2-pentanone 12.61
    anisole 5.73
    cyclopentyl methyl ether 14.73
    gamma-butyrolactone 30.15
    1-methoxy-2-propanol 82.72
    pyridine 6.51
    3-pentanone 7.68
    furfural 31.06
    n-dodecane 0.84
    diethylene glycol 70.81
    diisopropyl ether 5.61
    tert-amyl alcohol 65.96
    acetylacetone 15.88
    n-hexadecane 0.83
    acetophenone 7.21
    methyl propionate 10.5
    isopentyl acetate 4.46
    trichloroethylene 6.76
    n-nonanol 11.77
    cyclohexanol 19.46
    benzyl alcohol 9.93
    2-ethylhexanol 9.22
    isooctanol 13.69
    dipropyl ether 5.7
    1,2-dichlorobenzene 2.16
    ethyl lactate 10.73
    propylene carbonate 17.33
    n-methylformamide 60.94
    2-pentanol 23.64
    n-pentane 3.01
    1-propoxy-2-propanol 23.87
    1-methoxy-2-propyl acetate 9.23
    2-(2-methoxypropoxy) propanol 33.34
    mesitylene 2.86
    ε-caprolactone 16.94
    p-cymene 2.57
    epichlorohydrin 20.72
    1,1,1-trichloroethane 4.13
    2-aminoethanol 134.88
    morpholine-4-carbaldehyde 73.93
    sulfolane 51.42
    2,2,4-trimethylpentane 2.82
    2-methyltetrahydrofuran 23.72
    n-hexyl acetate 8.8
    isooctane 2.01
    2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol 42.03
    sec-butyl acetate 4.2
    tert-butyl acetate 12.78
    decalin 1.46
    glycerin 167.66
    diglyme 59.99
    acrylic acid 38.4
    isopropyl myristate 3.97
    n-butyric acid 33.25
    acetyl acetate 6.91
    di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate 7.43
    ethyl propionate 5.53
    nitromethane 59.04
    1,2-diethoxyethane 8.62
    benzonitrile 3.94
    trioctyl phosphate 5.86
    1-bromopropane 2.96
    gamma-valerolactone 43.5
    n-decanol 8.62
    triethyl phosphate 4.39
    4-methyl-2-pentanol 19.09
    propionitrile 6.51
    vinylene carbonate 11.98
    1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane 43.11
    DMS 5.38
    cumene 2.73
    2-octanol 10.02
    2-hexanone 6.7
    octyl acetate 5.91
    limonene 3.9
    1,2-dimethoxyethane 46.47
    ethyl orthosilicate 4.73
    tributyl phosphate 5.04
    diacetone alcohol 41.07
    N,N-dimethylaniline 8.64
    acrylonitrile 8.46
    aniline 6.07
    1,3-propanediol 111.42
    bromobenzene 1.03
    dibromomethane 4.24
    1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane 7.77
    2-methyl-cyclohexyl acetate 5.47
    tetrabutyl urea 8.39
    diisobutyl methanol 7.46
    2-phenylethanol 8.59
    styrene 1.61
    dioctyl adipate 6.24
    dimethyl sulfate 19.44
    ethyl butyrate 4.23
    methyl lactate 27.17
    butyl lactate 11.19
    diethyl carbonate 2.86
    propanediol butyl ether 42.47
    triethyl orthoformate 4.59
    p-tert-butyltoluene 2.97
    methyl 4-tert-butylbenzoate 17.79
    morpholine 43.23
    tert-butylamine 32.26
    n-dodecanol 6.13
    dimethoxymethane 37.51
    ethylene carbonate 9.46
    cyrene 37.28
    2-ethoxyethyl acetate 8.45
    2-ethylhexyl acetate 3.09
    1,2,4-trichlorobenzene 2.71
    4-methylpyridine 6.29
    dibutyl ether 4.8
    2,6-dimethyl-4-heptanol 7.46
    DEF 25.53
    dimethyl isosorbide 31.88
    tetrachloroethylene 8.48
    eugenol 19.92
    triacetin 10.72
    span 80 27.17
    1,4-butanediol 46.64
    1,1-dichloroethane 3.49
    2-methyl-1-pentanol 20.76
    methyl formate 38.33
    2-methyl-1-butanol 31.79
    n-decane 1.39
    butyronitrile 7.84
    3,7-dimethyl-1-octanol 11.62
    1-chlorooctane 3.05
    1-chlorotetradecane 1.45
    n-nonane 1.38
    undecane 1.05
    tert-butylcyclohexane 1.75
    cyclooctane 1.44
    cyclopentanol 30.11
    tetrahydropyran 12.5
    tert-amyl methyl ether 19.57
    2,5,8-trioxanonane 45.49
    1-hexene 3.79
    2-isopropoxyethanol 36.25
    2,2,2-trifluoroethanol 63.22
    methyl butyrate 8.62

    Scent© AI

1 4

IFRA standard 51

Recommendation
No restriction
Maximum acceptable concentrations in the finished product (%)
Category 1
Products applied to the lips
 No restriction Category 7A
Rinse-off products applied to the hair with some hand contact
 No restriction
Category 2
Products applied to the axillae
 No restriction Category 7B
Leave-on products applied to the hair with some hand contact
 No restriction
Category 3
Products applied to the face/body using fingertips
 No restriction Category 8
Products with significant anogenital exposure
 No restriction
Category 4
Products related to fine fragrance
 No restriction Category 9
Products with body and hand exposure, primarily rinse off
 No restriction
Category 5A
Body lotion products applied to the body using the hands (palms), primarily leave on
 No restriction Category 10A
Household care products with mostly hand contact
 No restriction
Category 5B
Face moisturizer products applied to the face using the hands (palms), primarily leave on
 No restriction Category 10B
Household care products with mostly hand contact, including aerosol/spray products (with potential leave-on skin contact)
 No restriction
Category 5C
Hand cream products applied to the hands using the hands (palms), primarily leave on
 No restriction Category 11A
Products with intended skin contact but minimal transfer of fragrance to skin from inert substrate without UV exposure
 No restriction
Category 5D
Baby Creams, baby Oils and baby talc
 No restriction Category 11B
Products with intended skin contact but minimal transfer of fragrance to skin from inert substrate with potential UV exposure
 No restriction
Category 6
Products with oral and lip exposure
 No restriction Category 12
Products not intended for direct skin contact, minimal or insignificant transfer to skin
 No restriction

Botanical

Name CAS Botanical Proportion
Seafennel 89997-98-8 Crithmum maritimum L., fam. Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) 0.09%