Tartaric Acid Formula (C4H6O6) - Structure, Properties, and Uses

The molecular formula of tartaric acid is C ₄ H ₆ O ₆ . It is also called racemic acid. It contains two stereocenters. It is also known by IUPAC as 2,3-dihydroxybutanedioic acid. It is acidic in nature. Grapes, tamarinds, bananas, and citrus fruits contain tartaric acid. Many sour vegetables, including tomatoes, contain tartaric acid.

Tartaric acid, an organic compound, is commonly found in nature. It naturally occurs in fruits such as grapes, bananas, tamarinds, and citrus fruits. This alpha-hydroxy-carboxylic acid has a chemical formula of C ₄ H ₆ O ₆ and a molecular weight of 150.087 g/mol. Its linear structural formula is HOOCCH(OH)CH(OH)COOH and its IUPAC name is 2,3-Dihydroxybutanedioic acid. Various other names including Threaric acid, Racemic acid, 2, 3-Dihydroxy Succinic acid, Uvic acid, Winestone, etc also know as tartaric acid.

Structure of Tartaric Acid

With its molecular formula C ₄ H ₆ O ₆ , tartaric acid is made up of two COOH groups and two hydroxy groups. Citrus fruits, bananas, tamarind, and grapes, in particular, contain tartaric acid, a diprotic, alpha hydroxycarboxylic acid that occurs naturally in these foods. There are three stereoisomers of tartaric acid: meso tartaric acid, D-(-)-tartaric acid, and L-(+)-tartaric acid.

Structure of D-tartaric Acid

It was crucial in making the idea of chirality more widely known. By sorting sodium ammonium tartrate crystals manually to produce pure Levo Tartaric Acid Formula, Pasteur revolutionized stereoisomerism, while Jean Baptiste Biot discovered that Tartaric Acid Formula can rotate plane-polarized light. Organic syntheses often start with the raw material in its natural form.

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Structure of Meso-tartaric Acid

A tartaric acid formula is used to clean metallic surfaces, a tartar acid formula is also used for lowering the pH when fermenting wine, and a tartar acid derivative is also used in cough medicine. Fermentation uses potassium bitartrate salts, which contain Tartaric Acid Formula acid.

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Properties of Tartaric Acid

• Tartaric acid is a white crystalline organic acid, derived from succinic acid.
• Being an aldaric acid, it contains both hydroxyl and carboxylic groups at its terminal ends.
• Its molecular and structural formulas indicate that it is diprotic, able to donate two protons from its hydroxyl groups.
• Notably, tartaric acid exhibits chemical chirality, playing a key role in the concept's discovery.
• It exists as a racemic mixture of dextro or levorotatory forms, as well as a meso isomeric form with a symmetrical lower half.  This symmetry renders the molecule optically inactive. Despite this, tartaric acid has the ability to rotate polarized light - an important factor in its discovery of chemical chirality.
• In addition to its chiral properties, tartaric acid is commonly used as a sweetener in wines and can also lower the pH level during fermentation.

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Tartaric Acid Uses

• Tartaric acid is a versatile compound with numerous applications.
• It is commonly used as a sweetener in wine, giving rise to the recognizable "wine diamonds" that can be found on the cork or bottle bottom.
• In addition to its role in wine, tartaric acid is also utilized in superconductors to potentially increase their critical temperature by raising oxidation levels. However, the exact mechanism remains unknown.
• Beyond these uses, tartaric acid is also employed in pharmaceuticals, such as producing effervescent salts that enhance the taste of oral medicines when combined with citric acid.
• In industrial settings, it acts as a chelating agent for metal ions like calcium and magnesium and plays a crucial role in metal industries, soil fertilizers, and cleaning certain metal surfaces like aluminium and copper.