Isomalic acid

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  • Identifiers

    CAS number
    595-48-2

    Molecular formula
    C4H6O5

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

    Safety labels

    Irritant
    Irritant

  • Odor profile

    Fragrance
    Odorless 62.6%
    Sour 45.32%
    Caramellic 44.34%
    Buttery 34.95%
    Sharp 27.66%
    Burnt 27.62%
    Milky 26.38%
    Creamy 25.65%
    Sweet 23.4%
    Dairy 20.94%

     

    Flavor
    Odorless 64.35%
    Very mild 38.73%
    Sour 38.17%
    Caramellic 28.12%
    Mild 27.07%
    Bland 24.82%
    Acidic 23.7%
    Yeast 21.9%
    Musty 21.05%
    Sweet-like 20.69%

     

    Odor impact est.
    Low

  • Properties

    XLogP3-AA
    -1.0

    pKa est.
    4.38 (weak acid)

    Molecular weight
    134.09 g/mol

    Vapor pressure est.

    • hPa @ 20°C
    • hPa @ 25°C

    Evaporation rate
    Ultra slow

    Boiling point est.
    294°C

    Flash point

    • 167.02 ˚C est.

  • Synonyms

    • Methyltartronic acid
    • 2-Hydroxy-2-methylpropanedioic acid
    • 595-48-2
    • Isomalic acid
    • 2-Hydroxy-2-methylmalonic acid
    • 2-Methyltartronic acid
    • Tartronic acid, methyl-
    • 2-Hydroxy-2-methylmalonate
    • U6K2REG9Q6
    • Hydroxymethylpropanedioic acid
    • Propanedioic acid, hydroxymethyl-
    • hydroxymethylmalonic acid
    • C-METHYLTARTRONIC ACID
    • EINECS 209-868-7
    • BRN 1766104
    • PROPANEDIOIC ACID, 2-HYDROXY-2-METHYL-
    • 3-03-00-00927 (Beilstein Handbook Reference)
    • RefChem:791892
    • Propanedioic acid, hydroxymethyl-(9CI)
    • 209-868-7
    • DL-Methyltartronic acid
    • 595-98-2
    • Isoapfelsaure
    • hydroxy(methyl)propanedioic acid
    • UNII-U6K2REG9Q6
    • SCHEMBL567250
    • SCHEMBL9446584
    • DTXSID40208205
    • 2-Hydroxy-2-methylmalonic acid #
    • AKOS006273808
    • AT23393
    • NS00043729
    • EN300-1719260
    • 595-48-2

  • Applications

    Isomalic acid (CAS 595-48-2) is primarily used as an industrial chemical intermediate, providing carboxyl functionality for subsequent chemical transformations. In the polymers and coatings sector, it serves as a building block for unsaturated polyester resins and alkyd resins, and can function as a crosslinking or chain-extending component in resin formulations. In coatings and inks, it may be used to adjust acidity, compatibility, and rheology. In cleaning formulations, it can act as a chelating agent or acidulant, helping to sequester metal ions and improve cleaning performance. In other industrial manufacturing settings, it is evaluated as a precursor to specialty chemicals and as a raw material for further functionalization.

    gpt-5-nano

  • Solubility @25˚C

    Solvent Solubility (g/L)
    ethanol 38.07
    methanol 90.71
    isopropanol 18.72
    water 100.07
    ethyl acetate 1.64
    n-propanol 14.96
    acetone 13.02
    n-butanol 10.75
    acetonitrile 1.77
    DMF 181.84
    toluene 0.55
    isobutanol 8.87
    1,4-dioxane 10.07
    methyl acetate 1.7
    THF 22.29
    2-butanone 5.13
    n-pentanol 6.95
    sec-butanol 10.17
    n-hexane 0.97
    ethylene glycol 59.99
    NMP 65.45
    cyclohexane 0.9
    DMSO 185.13
    n-butyl acetate 0.64
    n-octanol 4.31
    chloroform 0.44
    n-propyl acetate 0.88
    acetic acid 9.29
    dichloromethane 0.88
    cyclohexanone 4.07
    propylene glycol 30.74
    isopropyl acetate 1.84
    DMAc 69.81
    2-ethoxyethanol 37.9
    isopentanol 10.22
    n-heptane 1.26
    ethyl formate 2.41
    1,2-dichloroethane 1.36
    n-hexanol 4.12
    2-methoxyethanol 88.1
    isobutyl acetate 0.32
    tetrachloromethane 0.43
    n-pentyl acetate 1.51
    transcutol 29.09
    n-heptanol 5.44
    ethylbenzene 0.47
    MIBK 6.15
    2-propoxyethanol 17.55
    tert-butanol 27.36
    MTBE 6.62
    2-butoxyethanol 13.81
    propionic acid 3.83
    o-xylene 1.17
    formic acid 64.9
    diethyl ether 6.62
    m-xylene 0.9
    p-xylene 0.49
    chlorobenzene 0.15
    dimethyl carbonate 3.74
    n-octane 0.7
    formamide 86.82
    cyclopentanone 8.65
    2-pentanone 6.92
    anisole 1.53
    cyclopentyl methyl ether 7.67
    gamma-butyrolactone 6.95
    1-methoxy-2-propanol 57.62
    pyridine 2.3
    3-pentanone 4.16
    furfural 6.63
    n-dodecane 0.33
    diethylene glycol 33.7
    diisopropyl ether 2.77
    tert-amyl alcohol 16.7
    acetylacetone 6.36
    n-hexadecane 0.34
    acetophenone 1.68
    methyl propionate 3.45
    isopentyl acetate 0.68
    trichloroethylene 0.94
    n-nonanol 4.09
    cyclohexanol 5.41
    benzyl alcohol 2.43
    2-ethylhexanol 1.91
    isooctanol 4.02
    dipropyl ether 3.3
    1,2-dichlorobenzene 0.23
    ethyl lactate 2.81
    propylene carbonate 1.99
    n-methylformamide 43.38
    2-pentanol 9.19
    n-pentane 1.67
    1-propoxy-2-propanol 9.27
    1-methoxy-2-propyl acetate 2.62
    2-(2-methoxypropoxy) propanol 11.47
    mesitylene 1.11
    ε-caprolactone 3.25
    p-cymene 0.63
    epichlorohydrin 6.57
    1,1,1-trichloroethane 0.39
    2-aminoethanol 57.42
    morpholine-4-carbaldehyde 39.13
    sulfolane 27.6
    2,2,4-trimethylpentane 0.79
    2-methyltetrahydrofuran 7.42
    n-hexyl acetate 1.92
    isooctane 0.68
    2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol 16.11
    sec-butyl acetate 0.7
    tert-butyl acetate 3.74
    decalin 0.4
    glycerin 69.18
    diglyme 25.41
    acrylic acid 4.61
    isopropyl myristate 1.12
    n-butyric acid 3.96
    acetyl acetate 0.8
    di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate 1.37
    ethyl propionate 1.28
    nitromethane 12.27
    1,2-diethoxyethane 3.82
    benzonitrile 0.45
    trioctyl phosphate 1.51
    1-bromopropane 0.85
    gamma-valerolactone 14.7
    n-decanol 3.04
    triethyl phosphate 0.99
    4-methyl-2-pentanol 6.7
    propionitrile 1.21
    vinylene carbonate 1.23
    1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane 10.34
    DMS 1.1
    cumene 0.58
    2-octanol 3.53
    2-hexanone 2.16
    octyl acetate 1.42
    limonene 1.16
    1,2-dimethoxyethane 28.32
    ethyl orthosilicate 1.13
    tributyl phosphate 1.02
    diacetone alcohol 16.71
    N,N-dimethylaniline 3.32
    acrylonitrile 1.62
    aniline 1.58
    1,3-propanediol 40.35
    bromobenzene 0.1
    dibromomethane 0.64
    1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane 1.47
    2-methyl-cyclohexyl acetate 0.86
    tetrabutyl urea 3.02
    diisobutyl methanol 2.48
    2-phenylethanol 1.8
    styrene 0.36
    dioctyl adipate 1.35
    dimethyl sulfate 12.1
    ethyl butyrate 0.95
    methyl lactate 10.82
    butyl lactate 2.95
    diethyl carbonate 0.46
    propanediol butyl ether 14.16
    triethyl orthoformate 1.17
    p-tert-butyltoluene 0.81
    methyl 4-tert-butylbenzoate 5.4
    morpholine 18.14
    tert-butylamine 13.24
    n-dodecanol 2.16
    dimethoxymethane 58.23
    ethylene carbonate 1.01
    cyrene 13.34
    2-ethoxyethyl acetate 2.15
    2-ethylhexyl acetate 0.48
    1,2,4-trichlorobenzene 0.34
    4-methylpyridine 1.89
    dibutyl ether 1.89
    2,6-dimethyl-4-heptanol 2.48
    DEF 15.32
    dimethyl isosorbide 10.75
    tetrachloroethylene 1.55
    eugenol 6.1
    triacetin 2.2
    span 80 8.08
    1,4-butanediol 17.69
    1,1-dichloroethane 0.51
    2-methyl-1-pentanol 5.35
    methyl formate 17.93
    2-methyl-1-butanol 8.41
    n-decane 0.62
    butyronitrile 1.46
    3,7-dimethyl-1-octanol 2.9
    1-chlorooctane 0.95
    1-chlorotetradecane 0.45
    n-nonane 0.66
    undecane 0.44
    tert-butylcyclohexane 0.37
    cyclooctane 0.72
    cyclopentanol 8.37
    tetrahydropyran 4.38
    tert-amyl methyl ether 7.45
    2,5,8-trioxanonane 20.89
    1-hexene 1.32
    2-isopropoxyethanol 15.73
    2,2,2-trifluoroethanol 7.83
    methyl butyrate 1.8

    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