Mucic acid, C6H10O8 or HOOC-(CHOH)4-COOH (galactaric acid or meso-galactaric acid) is an aldaric acid obtained by nitric acid oxidation of galactose or galactose-containing compounds such as lactose, dulcite, quercite, and most varieties of gum.[1]
Properties
Mucic acid forms a crystalline powder, which melts at 210–230 °C.[2] It is insoluble in alcohol, and nearly insoluble in cold water.[1] Due to the symmetry in the molecule, it is optically inactive even though it has chiral carbon atoms (i.e., it is a meso compound).
^Butler, C. L.; Cretcher, L. H. (1929). "The Preparation of Allomucic Acid and Certain of Its Derivatives". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 51 (7): 2167. doi:10.1021/ja01382a029.
^Li, X.; Wu, D.; Lu, T.; Yi, G.; Su, H.; Zhang, Y. (2014). "Highly Efficient Chemical Process to Convert Mucic Acid into Adipic Acid and DFT Studies of the Mechanism of the Rhenium-Catalyzed Deoxydehydration". Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 53 (16): 4200–4204. doi:10.1002/anie.201310991. PMID24623498.