Acesulfame potassium

  • Acesulfame-K
  • 6 -methyl-3 ,4-dihydro- 1,2,3- oxathiazin -4-one -2 ,2-dioxide
  • 6 -methyl-1 ,2,3- oxathiazin -4 ( 3H) -one-2 ,2-dioxide
  • E 950

Colorless, sweet-tasting solid

Fixed

> 225 ° C ( decomposition)

Good in water ( 250 g · l-1 at 20 ° C)

Template: Infobox chemical / molecular formula search available

Acesulfame -K is a synthetic, heat-resistant sweetener. The chemist Karl Clauss at Hoechst AG in 1967 discovered by chance in the synthesis of Oxathiazinondioxiden a sweet-tasting compound.

As a food additive it is declared as E 950.

Molecular structure

Acesulfame is one of the heterocycles, because the molecule has a six-membered ring having three hetero atoms ( oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen), containing ( Oxathiazinring ).

Properties

Acesulfame -K is a white solid which was good, very slightly soluble in cold water in hot. Water / ethanol mixtures are also suitable. The storage shall be in a cool place under strict exclusion of oxygen and moisture. The sweetener is the potassium salt of acesulfame, the acesulfame potassium or acesulfame -K, with a sweetening power which is about 200 times as strong as that of sucrose.

Production

The production takes place in several steps, starting from the sodium salt of 4- chlorophenol:

As an industrial process, the so-called SO3 method has been compared to earlier versions with fluorosulfonyl isocyanate ( FSO2NCO ) or amidosulfofluoride ( H2NSO2F ) enforced.

Here, a salt of amidosulfonic acid, preferably a trialkylammonium salt is reacted with diketene in methylene chloride to the acetoacetamide -N -sulfonate. Dissolved acetoacetamide -N -sulfonate is added to a solution of sulfur trioxide in methylene chloride, wherein cyclization takes place at a SO3 adduct. The SO3 adduct with water to acesulfame -H, the so-called sweetener acid, hydrolyzed and converted with KOH in the sweetener acesulfame -K. Gentle process and isolation conditions, and the efficient processing of the liquid phase allow good yields ( > 80%) and purities greater than 99.5 %.

Use

Because of its heat resistance may be Acesulfame-K and used for cooking and baking. Acesulfame -K is excreted unchanged by the body again and not degraded in sewage treatment plants. This makes it accumulates in nature. It tastes very similar to the natural sugar, but has a higher concentration a slightly bitter taste.

Acesulfame -K is used, for example, drinks, usually in combination with other sweeteners such as aspartame. It is also included in toothpastes because it does not cause dental caries.

Acesulfame -K is approved in Germany since 1990, and is marketed under the brand name Sunett.

The allowable daily dose was set at 15 mg for adult (JECFA ) and 9 mg ( SCF) per pound of body weight.

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