Chemical Identity and Physicochemical Properties

5-Carboxyvanillic acid is a methoxy-substituted benzenedicarboxylic acid bearing a phenolic hydroxyl group. Its IUPAC-based systematic description places it as a vanillic acid derivative with an additional carboxyl group at the 5-position of the aromatic ring. The compound is therefore bifunctional: it carries two acidic carboxylic acid moieties alongside a chelatable phenolic –OH and a methoxy group at the 3-position.

As a solid aromatic acid, 5-Carboxyvanillic acid is expected to exhibit limited solubility in cold water but improved solubility in polar organic solvents such as methanol, ethanol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and dilute aqueous base. The presence of multiple hydrogen-bond donors and acceptors contributes to its relatively high melting point compared with mono-acid analogues.

Note: Specific melting point, molecular weight, and purity data should be confirmed against the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) supplied with each lot of C1056676. Aladdin Scientific recommends consulting the current CoA for lot-specific physicochemical values.

Safe Handling, Storage, and Disposal

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): When handling 5-Carboxyvanillic acid, wear appropriate PPE including nitrile gloves, safety spectacles or goggles, and a laboratory coat. If fine dust is generated during weighing, use a dust/particulate respirator in a well-ventilated fume hood.

Storage: Store the reagent in a tightly sealed container under cool (typically 2–8 °C or room temperature as specified on the product label), dry, and dark conditions. Keep away from strong oxidising agents, strong bases, and incompatible materials. Shelf life should be monitored against the expiry date stated on the label and CoA.

Spillage: In the event of a spill, sweep or vacuum up the solid carefully to avoid generating dust, place in a labelled waste container, and clean the area with water. Avoid flushing large quantities to the drain.

Disposal: Dispose of 5-Carboxyvanillic acid and contaminated materials in accordance with local, regional, and national regulations governing chemical waste. Do not dispose of via standard municipal waste streams without prior regulatory confirmation.

First Aid: If skin or eye contact occurs, rinse immediately with copious water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical advice. If ingested, do not induce vomiting; seek medical attention promptly.

Preparation of Stock Solutions and Working Concentrations

Solvent Selection: Due to the polar, multi-protic character of 5-Carboxyvanillic acid, DMSO or aqueous sodium hydroxide solution (0.1 M) are commonly used to prepare concentrated stock solutions. For biological assays, DMSO stocks should be diluted to ensure the final DMSO concentration in the assay does not exceed 0.1–1% (v/v) to minimise solvent-related cytotoxicity or assay interference.

General Protocol for Stock Preparation:

1. Accurately weigh the required mass of 5-Carboxyvanillic acid using a calibrated analytical balance.
2. Transfer to an appropriate solvent-compatible vessel (e.g., glass vial).
3. Add the calculated volume of solvent and vortex or sonicate gently until complete dissolution is confirmed visually.
4. Aliquot the stock solution into single-use volumes where possible to minimise freeze–thaw cycling.
5. Label each aliquot with compound name, concentration, solvent, date of preparation, and preparer initials.

Stability: Prepared solutions should be used promptly. If storage is required, keep at –20 °C protected from light. Verify stability by HPLC or other appropriate analytical technique before use in critical experiments. Specific stability data for solutions of C1056676 should be confirmed against available literature or the supplier CoA.

Laboratory Applications and Research Context

5-Carboxyvanillic acid and related vanillic acid derivatives have attracted research interest across several scientific disciplines:

• Organic Synthesis: The compound serves as a versatile bifunctional building block for the synthesis of more complex phenolic esters, amides, polyesters, and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), owing to its two reactive carboxylic groups and phenolic hydroxyl.
• Antioxidant and Biological Studies: Vanillic acid analogues are studied for their radical-scavenging and antioxidant activities. 5-Carboxyvanillic acid, carrying additional electron-withdrawing carboxyl substitution, provides a useful structure–activity relationship (SAR) reference point compared with vanillic acid itself.
• Metabolomics and Natural Product Chemistry: Hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives are widespread plant metabolites. Carboxylated phenolics can arise as oxidative metabolites in plant or microbial systems, making 5-Carboxyvanillic acid a relevant reference standard for metabolite identification by LC-MS or HPLC.
• Analytical Chemistry: As a well-defined pure compound (C1056676), it is suitable for use as an external or internal reference standard for instrument calibration and method validation in chromatographic analyses.

Researchers are encouraged to consult primary literature relevant to their specific application and to validate the reagent for their assay conditions prior to large-scale use.

Quality, Specifications, and Ordering Information

Aladdin Scientific supplies 5-Carboxyvanillic acid under product SKU C1056676. Each batch is accompanied by a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) detailing lot-specific purity, appearance, and other quality parameters. Researchers and procurement teams should:

• Request and retain the CoA for each lot received to support experimental reproducibility and regulatory documentation.
• Confirm the required purity grade is appropriate for the intended application (e.g., synthesis-grade versus analytical reference standard grade).
• Store the reagent strictly according to label instructions to maintain specification over the stated shelf life.
• Contact Aladdin Scientific technical support for application-specific guidance, custom quantities, or bulk pricing enquiries.

For ordering, visit the Aladdin Scientific website and search by SKU C1056676, or contact your regional Aladdin Scientific representative. Returns and replacements are handled in accordance with Aladdin Scientific's standard returns and refund policy.