Levulinic acid

• Levulinic acid, levulinic acid
• 4- oxopentanoic
• 4- oxovaleric acid

Colorless to yellowish solid

Fixed

1.13 g · cm -3

33-35 ° C

244-246 ° C

Well in water (675 g · l-1 at 25 ° C)

Attention

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The levulinic acid (including 4- oxopentanoic acid and 4- oxovaleric acid ) is a chemical compound belongs to the γ -keto acids and at the same time represents the simplest representative.

Production and representation

Levulinic acid can be prepared by heating of glucose, fructose and starch in dilute hydrochloric or sulfuric acid.

Use

Use of levulinic acid found in the chemical industry in the manufacture of plastics and plasticizers, as well as in textile printing.

In biochemistry, it is δ - aminolevulinate, a derivative of levulinic acid, intermediate of Porphyrinbiosynthese.