meso-Tartaric acid monohydrate (CAS 5990-63-6)

meso-Tartaric acid monohydrate plays a significant role in the realm of biochemistry. Presenting as a white crystalline solid, it dissolves in both water and alcohol and finds extensive application in food, chemical industries, and beyond. It′s a naturally occurring dicarboxylic acid, abundant in various fruits like grapes, though it′s also produced synthetically. Its use in the laboratory is diverse, serving as a buffer, a chelating agent, and a reactant for the creation of organic compounds. In scientific research, its applications are broad: It serves as a biochemical assay buffer, a chelating agent in protein purification, and a reactant in organic synthesis. It′s also used in producing tartrate esters, which act as catalysts in polymer production. Furthermore, D-tartaric acid hydrate has been employed to study pH effects on enzyme activity and protein stability. While the exact mechanism of action of D-tartaric acid hydrate isn′t completely understood, it′s conjectured to act as a chelating agent, latching onto metal ions and impeding their involvement in chemical reactions. It′s also thought to function as a buffer, preserving solution pH and averting drastic pH shifts.