1,2,3,4-Butanetetracarboxylic acid explained

1,2,3,4-Butanetetracarboxylic acid is an organic compound with the formula . It is one of the simplest stable tetracarboxylic acids. The compound exists as two diastereomers, meso and the (R,R)/(S,S) pair. All are white solids. The compound is produced by oxidation of tetrahydrophthalic anhydride.

Uses and reactions

Among the several possible uses, it has been repeatedly investigated in the textile industry,^[1] e.g., for permanent press clothing.^[2] As expected for a polycarboxylate, it binds zinc to afford coordination polymers.^[3]

It forms a dianhydride (RN 4534-73-0), which consists of two succinic anhydride-like rings.^[4]

References

1. 10.1016/j.carbpol.2005.02.019 . The Antimicrobial Activity of Cotton Fabrics Treated with Different Crosslinking Agents and Chitosan . 2005 . Eltahlawy . K. . Elbendary . M. . Elhendawy . A. . Hudson . S. . Carbohydrate Polymers . 60 . 4 . 421–430 .
2. 10.1177/004051758805800809 . Tetracarboxylic Acids as Formaldehyde-Free Durable Press Finishing Agents . 1988 . Welch . Clark M. . Textile Research Journal . 58 . 8 . 480–486 .
3. 10.1039/b716657e . Syntheses, Structures and Luminescent Properties of Zinc(II) and Cadmium(II) Coordination Complexes Based on New Bis(imidazolyl)ether and Different Carboxylate Ligands . 2008 . Wei . Guo-Hua . Yang . Jin . Ma . Jian-Fang . Liu . Ying-Ying . Li . Shun-Li . Zhang . Lai-Ping . Dalton Transactions . 23 . 3080–3092 . 18521450 .
4. 10.1107/s0567740871002577 . The Crystal Structure of Butane-1,2,3,4-tetracarboxylic Dianhydride . 1971 . Nagao . R. . Marumo . F. . Saito . Y. . Asahara . T. . Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry . 27 . 3 . 569–572 . 1971AcCrB..27..569N .