Maleic acid
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Description
An organic acid that exists as white crystals at room temperature. Maleic acid is a strong irritating acid that is used in the dyeing and finishing of wool, cotton, and silk. It is also used as a preservative for fats and oils. Maleic acid is not the same as malic acid that is obtained from apples.
Synonyms and Related Terms
maleinic acid; malenic acid; cis-butenedioic acid; toxilic acid; cis-1,2-ethylenedicarboxylic acid; resina maleica (Esp., Port.)
Risks
- Strong irritant.
- Toxic by ingestion.
- Combustible producing toxic fumes.
- ThermoFisher: SDS
Physical and Chemical Properties
Soluble in water, ethanol, acetone, glacial acetic acid. Slightly soluble in ether. Insoluble in benzene.
| Composition | HOOCC2H2COOH |
|---|---|
| CAS | 110-16-7 |
| Melting Point | 138-139 C |
| Density | 1.59 g/ml |
| Molecular Weight | mol. wt. = 116.1 |
Resources and Citations
- Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993
- The Merck Index, Susan Budavari (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Whitehouse Station, NJ, 12th Edition, 1996 Comment: entry 5743
- The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998