Product Description
Pharmaceutical
Raw Materials and Intermediates
AI Product Description
*The following content is generated by AI and is for reference only.
(-)-O-Acetyl-D-mandelic acid is a specialized chiral intermediate widely utilized in the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries. Its molecular formula is C9H10O4, reflecting its structure as an acetylated derivative of D-mandelic acid. The compound is identified by the CAS number 2380-65-2, which serves as its unique registry for global trade and safety documentation. This molecule features a benzene ring attached to a chiral carbon bearing both a hydroxyl group (acetylated) and a carboxylic acid moiety, granting it distinct stereochemical properties essential for asymmetric synthesis.
Primarily, this reagent serves as a crucial building block in the manufacturing of optically active pharmaceutical agents. Due to its specific (-) optical rotation and D-configuration, it is frequently employed as a starting material or resolving agent to synthesize complex drug molecules where chirality dictates biological activity. In medicinal chemistry, precise stereochemistry is often the difference between a therapeutic effect and potential toxicity; therefore, high-purity (-)-O-acetyl-D-mandelic acid is indispensable for producing enantiomerically pure compounds used in antibiotics, cardiovascular treatments, and other advanced therapeutics. Beyond direct drug synthesis, it functions effectively as a chiral auxiliary or catalyst in organic transformations, facilitating the creation of new carbon-carbon bonds with high stereoselectivity.
The acetyl protection group on the hydroxyl functionality allows chemists to manipulate the molecule under various reaction conditions without interfering with the carboxylic acid group, offering greater synthetic flexibility compared to the free acid. After the desired transformation, the acetyl group can be selectively removed to yield the target mandelic acid derivative. While primarily an industrial chemical, it also finds niche applications in research laboratories studying metabolic pathways involving phenylglycolic acids. Handling requires standard laboratory precautions, as with most organic acids, ensuring storage in cool, dry environments to maintain stability and prevent hydrolysis. As demand grows for precision medicine and chiral drugs, the role of such high-purity intermediaries becomes increasingly significant in modern chemical supply chains.