Title:  Erythritol 
CAS Registry Number:  149-32-6 
CAS Name:  (2R,3S)-rel-1,2,3,4-Butanetetrol 
Additional Names:  meso-erythritol;  tetrahydroxybutane;  erythrol;  erythrite;  antierythrite;  erythroglucin;  phycite 
Molecular Formula:  C4H10O4 
Molecular Weight:  122.12 
Percent Composition:  C 39.34%, H 8.25%, O 52.41% 
Literature References:  All natural bulk sweetener found in various fruits and fermented foods; 60 to 70% as sweet as sucrose.  Isoln from algae, lichens, grasses:  Bamberger, Landsiedl, Monatsh. Chem. 21, 571 (1900); Hesse, J. Prakt. Chem. 92, 425 (1915); Hofmann, Ber. 7, 508 (1874).  Prepn by Aspergillus niger:  Yuill, Nature 162, 652 (1948); by Penicillium herquei:  Galarraga et al., Biochem. J. 61, 456 (1955); from 2-butene-1,4-diol:  Reppe, Schnabel, DE 734025 (1943 to I. G. Farbenind.); from periodate-oxidized starch:  Jeanes, Hudson, J. Org. Chem. 20, 1565 (1955).  Structure:  Shimada, Acta Crystallogr. 11, 748 (1958).  Review of metabolism, toxicology and clinical safety studies:  I. C. Munro et al., Food Chem. Toxicol. 36, 1139-1174 (1998); of use in beverage industry:  P. de Cock, C.-L. Bechert, Pure Appl. Chem. 74, 1281-1289 (2002). 
Properties:  Tetragonal prisms, mp 121.5°.  About twice as sweet as sucrose.  bp 329-331°.  Very sol in water (satd soln contains about 61% w/w); sol in pyridine (satd soln contains 2.5% w/w); slightly sol in alcohol.  Practically insol in ether.  pKa (18°):  13.903.  LD50 in male, female rats (g/kg):  6.6, 9.6 i.v.; >16, >16 s.c.; 13.1, 13.5 orally (Munro). 
Melting point:  mp 121.5° 
Boiling point:  bp 329-331° 
pKa:  pKa (18°):  13.903 
Toxicity data:  LD50 in male, female rats (g/kg):  6.6, 9.6 i.v.; >16, >16 s.c.; 13.1, 13.5 orally (Munro) 
Use:  Non-nutritive sweetener in beverages.   |