Dibenzoyl-(+)-P-methoxy-D-tartaric acid stands out among chiral organic compounds for its precise use in stereospecific synthesis and as a resolving agent. Chemists who work on separating enantiomers stumble on this acid as an essential tool more times than they care to count. Anyone stepping into a laboratory geared toward synthetic chemistry sees its name pop up often enough. This compound, used widely across pharmaceutical research and fine chemicals manufacturing, offers both reliability and clarity in terms of its role. It’s got a chiral center, so the substance becomes central in creating or purifying molecules with the exact three-dimensional orientation drugmakers and researchers hunt for. The acid’s ability to help pinpoint the right stereochemistry of compounds gets put to the test in arenas where precision matters more than speed or convenience.
Solid at room temperature, Dibenzoyl-(+)-P-methoxy-D-tartaric acid forms colorless to off-white crystals or flakes. It rarely presents as a powder or pearls, tending instead toward a chunky, crystalline appearance that breaks apart with a gentle press of a spatula. The molecular formula, C20H18O9, gives the whole picture: twenty carbons, eighteen hydrogens, and nine oxygens. That brings the molecular weight clocking in at 402.35 g/mol. Its structure, dense with benzoyl groups and a methoxy substituent on the tartaric backbone, leads to marked stability while resisting decomposition under dry storage. Density typically floats near 1.48 g/cm³, so anyone measuring out this material by volume needs to weigh it directly for accuracy instead of relying on loose volumetric figures. Its crystalline form—result of hydrogen bonding and the steric bulk of benzoyl rings—prevents it from melting until temperatures reach about 180-185°C under normal pressure. The acid dissolves well in ethanol, methanol, and slightly less in ethyl acetate, allowing it to form solutions needed for lab processing or quality control tests without fuss.
This molecule keeps a reputation for stability under standard storage conditions—a dry, cool shelf where spill risk stays low. Anyone unfamiliar with its clean scent might mistake it for a mild organic, but the aromatic benzoyl groups and ester linkages lend some faint chemical sharpness. In the laboratory, I noticed no violent reactions except with strong bases or oxidizing agents, so handling with gloves and goggles keeps users safe. It doesn't vaporize easily, due to both its high melting point and sizable molecular mass. Dibenzoyl-(+)-P-methoxy-D-tartaric acid acts as an efficient resolving agent for racemic bases and amino compounds. Researchers value its selectivity, which draws from the precise arrangement of methoxy and benzoyl groups, making it a frequent “go-to” during the challenging process of chiral resolution. In fact, its selective bonding helps filter out the undesired optical isomer, helping pharmaceutical compounds reach the high enantiomeric purity regulators demand these days.
In practice, you’ll rarely find Dibenzoyl-(+)-P-methoxy-D-tartaric acid as a liquid. Almost every supplier offers the solid or crystalline powder form. The substance stays dry in proper packaging, shipped often in sealed glass or high-density polyethylene containers, a lesson learned hard by anyone who’s ever received a shipment sweating under summer heat. Once in the lab, the acid sits well on shelves, maintaining structure without caking or clumping, so long as the air stays dry. The crystals’ low hygroscopicity keeps moisture absorption minimal, which greatly eases weighing during experimental procedures.
Purity standards for this raw material generally stand at 98% or higher for research and industrial application. Typical batch quality documents include spectra confirming the absence of major contaminants. Material safety data sheets list Dibenzoyl-(+)-P-methoxy-D-tartaric acid as stable, with low flammability and no risk of explosive decomposition. Anyone with experience in chemical inventory knows proper labeling carries weight, given its status as a chiral resolving agent; clear labeling prevents cross-contamination that could render entire research series void.
Tariff harmonization places Dibenzoyl-(+)-P-methoxy-D-tartaric acid under HS Code 2918.19, in the esters of tartaric acid category. Countries with strict import rules often flag chiral agents, so the correct identification under this code supports customs clearance and compliance. Reputable sellers work with customs brokers to ensure that the documentation references this HS Code, and this directly reduces delays at ports.
Users sometimes worry about health hazards, though available data suggest Dibenzoyl-(+)-P-methoxy-D-tartaric acid presents low toxicity by oral, dermal, or inhalation exposure routes up to standard laboratory dosages. Most chemical suppliers classify it as non-hazardous and not especially harmful, provided it’s handled in a ventilated area and spilled material gets promptly cleaned. Common practice calls for gloves and goggles (not a luxury, but a must). Inhalation of its fine crystalline dust causes eye and throat irritation. Direct skin contact rarely causes severe reactions, though repeated exposure produces minor dermatitis for some individuals. Rinsing spills with cold water and bagging crystalline waste in solid chemical containers prevents environmental contamination. Disposal follows general laboratory protocols for non-hazardous organic acids, so it rarely imposes new regulatory burdens. Any researcher storing this compound keeps it segregated from oxidative or highly basic substances to minimize risk.
Dibenzoyl-(+)-P-methoxy-D-tartaric acid fills a gap in modern organic synthesis, where clean chirality equals real-world value. Pharmaceutical labs, for example, cannot move forward with drug recipes that lack an enantiomerically pure starting point, so this acid gets put to use well before any pill or vial ships out the door. Chemical engineers repeat extractions and recrystallizations with it, since only the well-resolved product meets regulatory thresholds. The global market for chiral intermediates grows each year, and this compound’s continued use shows how much the field leans on specialty reagents. Researchers, students, and technicians should see it not as an ordinary raw material, but as a gatekeeper to accuracy, safety, and progress in compound development. Only a handful of related tartaric derivatives match its versatility in resolving basic or pharmaceutically active amines. Labs see value not in bulk volumes, but in the results: single crystals of a single hand, clean peaks on a chromatogram, and a much smoother path to regulatory approval for the next big breakthrough.
Providing high-quality chemical products and logistics solutions for global trade partners.
