Introduction to Succinic Acid

Succinic acid is a colorless crystal; the relative density is 1.572 (25/4°C), the melting point is 188°C, and it decomposes at 235°C; it can be sublimated by distillation under reduced pressure; it is soluble in water, slightly soluble in ethanol, ether and acetone.

Industrially, succinic acid is often prepared by catalytic reduction of butenedioic acid, and succinic acid can also be prepared by hydrolysis of succinonitrile. In the laboratory, succinic acid can be obtained by reacting two molecules of sodium diethyl malonate with iodine, followed by hydrolysis and decarboxylation.

An important use of succinic acid is to prepare five-membered heterocyclic compounds. For example, succinic acid loses water rapidly when heated to form succinic anhydride, which is a furan ring compound. Succinic anhydride is an important raw material for the manufacture of drugs, dyes and alkyd resins. Succinic anhydride and ammonia are heated together to generate succinimide. The hydrogen on the imine group of succinimide can be replaced by bromine to produce N-bromosuccinimide, which is a bromination reagent and mild oxidant for organic synthesis. Succinic acid has antispasmodic, expectorant and diuretic effects in medicine. Diethyl succinate is an important intermediate in organic synthesis. Dibutyl succinate and dioctyl succinate are plasticizers for plastics. Copolymerization of diallyl succinate and 1,3-butadiene can produce artificial rubber.