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Fumaric acid



Fumaric acid
IUPAC name (E)-Butenedioic acid
Other names trans-1,2-Ethylenedicarboxylic acid
2-Butenedioic acid
Allomaleic acid
Boletic acid
Lichenic acid
Identifiers
CAS number 110-17-8
EINECS number 203-743-0
SMILES OC(=O)C=CC(=O)O
Properties
Molecular formula C4H4O4
Molar mass 116.07 g/mol
Appearance White solid
Density 1.635 g/cm³, solid
Melting point

287 °C

Solubility in water 0.63 g/100 mL
Acidity (pKa) pka1 = 3.03, pka2 = 4.44
Hazards
EU classification Irritant (Xi)
R-phrases R36
S-phrases (S2) S26
Related Compounds
Related carboxylic acids Maleic acid
Succinic acid
Related compounds Fumaryl chloride
Fumaronitrile
Dimethyl fumarate
Iron(II) fumarate
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state
(at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Infobox disclaimer and references

Fumaric acid is the chemical compound with the formula HO2CCH=CHCO2H. This colorless crystalline compound is one of two isomeric unsaturated dicarboxylic acids, the other being maleic acid wherein the carboxylic acid groups are cis. It has a fruit-like taste. The salts and esters of fumaric acid are known as fumarates.

Fumaric acid, when added to food products, is denoted by E number E297.

Contents

Biology

Fumaric acid is found in fumitory (Fumaria officinalis), bolete mushrooms (specifically Boletus fomentarius var. pseudo-igniarius), lichen, and Iceland moss.

Fumarate is an intermediate in the citric acid cycle used by cells to produce energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from food. It is formed by the oxidation of adenylsuccinate by the enzyme succinate dehydrogenase. Fumarate is then converted by the enzyme fumarase to malate. Human skin naturally produces fumaric acid when exposed to sunlight.[citation needed]

Fumarate is also a byproduct of the urea cycle.

Medicine

Fumaric acid esters are sometimes used to treat psoriasis, as it has been suggested that the condition is caused by an impairment of fumaric acid production in the skin.[citation needed] A starting dose is 60-105 mg daily, which may be gradually increased to as much as 1,290 mg per day. Side-effects include kidney or gastrointestinal disorders, as well as skin flushing; these are mainly caused by excess intake. Decreased white blood cell counts have been reported with prolonged use.[citation needed]

Food

Fumaric acid is a food acidulent used since 1946 because it is non-toxic. It is generally used in beverages and baking powders for which requirements are placed on purity. It is generally used as a substitute for tartaric acid and occasionally in place of citric acid, at a rate of 1.36 g of citric acid to every 0.91 grams of fumaric acid for the same taste. It is also used in candy to add sourness, similar to the way malic acid is used.

Chemistry

Fumaric acid is inexpensive, so it is typically purchased rather than prepared. It was first prepared from bromosuccinic acid.[1] A traditional synthesis involves oxidation of furfural (from the processing of maize) using sodium chlorate in the presence of a vanadium-based catalyst.[2]

The chemical properties of fumaric acid can be anticipated from its component functional groups. This weak acid forms a diester, it undergoes additions across the double bond, and it is an excellent dienophile.

Other uses

Fumaric acid is used in the manufacture of polyester resins and polyhydric alcohols and as a mordant for dyes.

Safety

Fumaric acid converts to the irritant maleic anhydride, upon partial combustion.

See also

References

  1. ^ Volhard, J. "Darstellung von Maleïnsäureanhydrid" Justus Liebig's Annalen der Chemie 1892, volume 268, page 255-6. DOI: 10.1002/jlac.18922680108
  2. ^ Milas, N. A. "Fumaric Acid" Organic Synthesis 1943, Collective Volume 2, page 302. Online version


 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Fumaric_acid". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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