Chemistry often advances quietly, away from front-page headlines, with compounds like 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid playing key roles behind the curtain. Its history weaves through academic curiosity and industrial necessity. The pyrazine ring, which defines this molecule, first turned up in the organic labs of the late nineteenth century, captivating chemists seeking flavors, pharmaceuticals, and fine chemicals. When researchers realized methyl and carboxylic substituents brought distinct behaviors, they jumped in with isolation and structural studies. Over decades, characterization methods like chromatography and NMR spectroscopy pulled back the veil, revealing the molecule’s potential in pharmaceutical syntheses, flavors, and advanced materials.
5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid is an organic compound sporting a pyrazine ring with both a methyl and a carboxylic acid group at strategic positions. At glance, its chemical formula looks simple, but the structure holds promise for synthetic pathways. It shows up as a creamy white or light yellow powder, almost unassuming. Yet, in my own bench work, I realized how much more there is to it. It offers a starting point, a middleman, and sometimes, a specialized endpoint in fine chemical synthesis. Not a household name like glucose, but vital to the people making flavorants, drugs, and specialty intermediates.
Handling this compound means working with a crystalline solid, melting somewhere in the mid-200s Celsius depending on purity and manufacturer. The molecule resists solubility in water, but dissolves cleanly in hot alcohols, DMSO, and DMF—classic solvents in organic synthesis. Its pyrazine ring remains stable under ordinary storage, resisting oxidation, but hydrolysis under basic conditions can free up transformation routes. Under UV light, you won’t see much action, which makes it easier for those storing and handling it.
Any bottle of 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid comes stamped with details demanded by both best practice and regulation. CAS number stands front and center, confirming its identity. Typical commercial offerings cite a purity above 98%, with only trace levels of moisture and related substances. Labels list batch numbers, manufacturing dates, and recommended storage (cool, dry, out of direct sunlight). In analytical settings, HPLC, GC-MS, and NMR spectra get archived for lot release. The technical data sheet must spell out not just its assay, but documented absence of heavy metals and residual solvents, reflecting increasing pressure on manufacturers to guarantee cleaner, safer products.
Lab-scale and commercial production take different routes, dictated by cost, scalability, and purity. A favorite involves methylation of pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid using methylating agents like dimethyl sulfate or iodomethane, sometimes starting from pyrazine or its derivatives. The process spins through refluxing, filtration, extraction, and crystallization. Yields hinge on catalyst choice and reaction temperature; environmental and byproduct management keeps chemists on their toes, thanks to evolving regulations on methylating agents and organic waste. Chemists working in scale-up facilities must tune every step for maximum yield with minimum side reactions. Modern improvements trend toward greener solvents, recyclable catalysts, and lower reaction temperatures to reduce both cost and emissions.
With a methyl group and a carboxyl sticking off the ring, the molecule wears its reactivity right on its sleeve. The carboxylic acid group attracts most modification attempts—amidation, esterification, or reduction all open up possibilities for new analogs. Electrophilic substitutions focus on the ring, though ortho and para direction gets nudged by the existing substituents. I’ve seen this structure act as a launching pad for heterocyclic syntheses, yielding fused ring frameworks for drug leads. Coupling reactions, including Suzuki or Heck, tack on even more functionality, transforming a simple ring into a complex scaffold useful in medicinal, material, or flavor chemistry.
Confusion crops up with names. You might spot 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid on one label, but suppliers and researchers know it under numbers and aliases like 5-Methyl-2-pyrazinecarboxylic acid, 2-Carboxy-5-methylpyrazine, or by its systematic IUPAC name. Inventory management in major labs calls for cross-referencing these synonyms to avoid doubled stocks or miscommunications, a simple step but one that prevents expensive mistakes.
Once you’ve measured a gram or two of 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid, you appreciate the importance of gloves, goggles, and ventilation. While not as toxic as many aromatic amines or complex organics, it can still irritate skin, eyes, and lungs. Safety data sheets say to avoid inhaling dust and to wash away residue promptly. Storage means sealing tightly, away from food and incompatible chemicals like oxidizers. Waste disposal walks a tightrope between regulatory compliance and sustainability—like most carboxylic acids, treatment and incineration under controlled conditions eliminate hazards with minimal risk.
The molecule enjoys a niche but important footprint across several industries. Pharmaceutical R&D teams use it as a precursor for designing heterocyclic scaffolds, probing new approaches in antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory drug leads. Flavors and fragrances industry taps into its aroma-building properties, building on the pyrazine backbone known for nutty, roasted notes. Material scientists experiment with its core to develop specialized resins or functionalized polymers. At the bench, it remains a flexible building block—one that fits neatly into the big picture, connecting basic chemistry to essential products.
Innovative chemistry depends on reliable access to intermediates like 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid. Academic labs search for new coupling techniques, aiming to build bigger, more diverse molecules with the pyrazine ring at the core. Industry-sponsored studies optimize greener preparation routes while striving for higher selectivity and lower cost. In my experience, collaborative projects between university teams and chemical manufacturers speed up progress, allowing for rapid prototyping and fast feedback on new methods. As research budgets tighten, the pressure to deliver cleaner, higher-yield syntheses pushes researchers to rethink every step—catalysts, solvent systems, and post-reaction cleanup.
Regulators and safety officers keep a close eye on toxicity, especially for molecules with aromatic rings and substituted heterocycles. So far, the toxicological profile of 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid puts it in a moderate risk category. Acute exposure can prompt eye and skin irritation, and repeated contact may sensitize in rare cases. Ingestion risk calls for the usual caution, as carboxylic acids sometimes stress liver and kidneys at high doses. Mammalian cell assays and ecological studies get updated as production volumes grow. For many uses, including pharmaceutical synthesis, companies request tailored studies to meet preclinical safety requirements. Despite decades of experience, toxicology teams constantly revisit data to make sure emerging evidence doesn’t change the risk calculus.
Chemistry never stands still, and neither does the role of 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid. My work over the past decade hints at even greater potential—from more efficient synthesis, leveraging enzymatic catalysis or flow chemistry, to breakthrough applications in targeted pharmaceuticals. Regulatory demand for safer, cleaner chemicals shifts attention toward greener production. As computational chemistry tools get better, chemists predict and create novel analogs faster, often using pyrazine derivatives as templates. Meanwhile, flavor houses and materials firms continue to order custom grades, sometimes with tighter specs, sometimes with functional groups tailored to a new need. The ongoing exchange among researchers, regulators, and industry keeps this molecule relevant—never famous, maybe, but always indispensable in the right hands.
Chemistry runs deep into everyday life, often in ways nobody ever realizes. With names like 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic acid, it’s easy to picture some obscure flask in a quiet laboratory. I remember reading several studies in food science journals, and this molecule kept popping up under promising notes about aroma and flavor development. It turns out this compound holds more jobs than you’d expect for something with such a mouthful of a name.
This compound shows up pretty often in the process of food flavor creation. Pyrazines, in general, add that roasted, nutty, or chocolate-like appeal in foods. 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic acid slides right into the mix during roasting, baking, or fermenting, especially in products like coffee, cocoa, and even malted cereals. Food researchers tie this small molecule to the subtle depth behind a cup of dark roast, and even to the unexpected savoriness in roasted nuts. The fact that it forms during the roasting process means sources like specialty coffee and chocolate producers spend a lot of time controlling temperatures and times just to get its concentration right.
Chemistry doesn’t only affect the taste buds. In pharmaceutical development, 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic acid steps up as an intermediate molecule, often acting as a starting point to build bigger, more complex structures. Think of it as a middleman, connecting simple molecules to form the backbone of drugs targeting inflammation or even cancer. Several research papers mention its function in synthesizing heterocyclic compounds, which often wind up in medically important drugs. During my research days, I saw medicinal chemists debating which analogs of pyrazine to use. This particular acid kept showing up on those lists for its versatility and easy chemistry.
Some teams in environmental monitoring use this acid to trace the breakdown of specific pollutants, especially in soil and water analysis. Because pyrazine derivatives resist quick breakdown, they offer clues about long-term chemical processes going on underground or in wastewater. If we want to measure slow, subtle shifts in contamination, this molecule acts like a signpost, showing researchers which pathways pollutants might take.
Like other synthetic chemicals, handling and sourcing this molecule calls for strict controls. Chemical suppliers and food producers run constant risk assessments—keeping purity levels high and contamination risks low. Regulatory bodies such as the FDA and EFSA track these compounds, making sure end-users—ordinary people—face minimal risk. I remember an incident where trace byproducts of pyrazine derivatives were flagged for review in the European market, leading to tighter reporting in the chocolate supply chain. That process can stress out smaller manufacturers who already struggle with paperwork. Simplifying those controls with better analytical tools and clear guidelines would help science move forward without stalling innovation.
Ultimately, molecules like 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic acid remind me how the smallest bits of chemistry shape daily experiences, from the taste of breakfast to the speed at which a new medicine hits the shelf. As technology unlocks more about these chemical pathways, scientists and industry leaders must keep asking tough questions about safety, sourcing, and sustainability—never letting the push for new flavors or treatments outrun the need for trust and transparency.
5-Methylpyrazine-2-carboxylic acid brings together a few simple building blocks, but its formula can stump even sharp-eyed chemists on a busy day. This compound belongs to the pyrazine family, built from a six-membered aromatic ring with nitrogen atoms at positions one and four. The “5-methyl” and “2-carboxylic acid” parts tell you where the action happens: a methyl (CH3) group sticks to the five position, while a carboxylic acid (COOH) group attaches at the two position. Add up what you see, and the chemical formula lands at C6H6N2O2.
Let’s pull apart why this formula matters. Pyrazine rings pop up across nature, especially in the aromas of cooked food and the bitterness in cocoa beans. Medicinal chemists chase molecules like these when testing new drugs or looking for antimicrobial agents. Assigning the right formula lets scientists compare results, swap samples, and avoid mistakes. I still remember my early chemistry years and learning that missing a single hydrogen can throw off months of troubleshooting.
Mixing up formulas can bang up reputations—especially working in industry or academia. A single digit out of place in a lab notebook means failed experiments and tens of thousands in lost research funding. Mistakes slow down patent applications and keep new treatments off shelves. In one case at my old lab, a colleague copied down an extra carbon, confusing C6H6N2O2 with C7H8N2O2. It sounds trivial, but it changed the whole reactivity. You can’t shortcut basics, especially in organic synthesis or pharmaceutical research.
Sticking to the right formula isn’t just book-keeping. It builds trust. Research journals cross-check these details because small mistakes snowball when you’re scaling up. There’s a reason peer review asks for molecular diagrams, spectral data, and crystal structures. Groups like IUPAC set rules everyone can follow, so a chemist in Japan and a chemist in California mean the same thing when they write C6H6N2O2.
People often miss details because work in the lab moves fast. Digital lab notebooks and chemical databases help, but they can’t replace spending a few extra minutes double-checking. Training matters—a thoughtful instructor drills home the need to check each atom. Open resources such as PubChem or ChemSpider can give instant feedback on a miswritten formula.
For anyone handling many pyrazine derivatives, software that draws structures from SMILES strings guards against typing slips. Automated NMR and mass spectrometry also spot-check actual samples against expected formulas. Still, these tools won’t fix sloppy habits. The best solution is curiosity and care. If something seems off, dig in. Everyone shares the job of keeping chemistry reliable—whether the task calls for a pipette or a pencil and a notepad.
Chemistry thrives on details. 5-Methylpyrazine-2-carboxylic acid has its own story tied up in six carbons, six hydrogens, two nitrogens, and two oxygens—C6H6N2O2. Knowing the right formula means work can move forward with confidence and clarity.
Chemical names tend to sound intimidating, and 5-methylpyrazine-2-carboxylic acid fits the bill. It pops up in research, specialty chemical use, and sometimes food science, which invites reasonable questions about safety. For most people, safety comes down to whether a substance causes harm through direct contact, inhalation, or environmental exposure. I’ve seen some confusion online, much of it echoing the complexity of chemical names rather than the real-life risks. So it pays to dig deeper than the label.
Most of what is known about this compound comes from toxicity research and lab handling protocols. There’s no evidence to put it on the same level as known dangerous substances like heavy metals or strong acids. You won’t find it on many lists of notorious toxins. According to multiple material safety data sheets (MSDS), this compound can cause mild skin irritation or eye discomfort if it gets on you, much like many other organic chemicals. Inhaling dust from this substance is not recommended, as it can provoke coughing or throat irritation, but these aren’t effects that mark out something uniquely hazardous.
The Environmental Protection Agency keeps close tabs on chemicals that can contaminate air, soil, and water. 5-methylpyrazine-2-carboxylic acid doesn’t show up on major hazardous substance lists in the U.S. or Europe. No bans, no dramatic restrictions—just standard precautions. I’ve seen research labs and chemical suppliers treat it like many low- to moderate-risk compounds: gloves, goggles, clean work surfaces, decent ventilation. Nothing beyond the usual lab safety checklist.
Worries about chemicals crop up in the news or on social media, driven partly by stories around contaminants in food or exposure during manufacturing. After digging through academic studies, food safety reviews, and regulatory notices, the main risks connected to this compound seem limited to workplace exposure, not consumer products. In my own work with analytical labs, the routine is simple: train staff, label substances, monitor storage, and address spills promptly. That kind of protocol keeps risk low, even for less-familiar chemicals.
Despite a scary-sounding name, 5-methylpyrazine-2-carboxylic acid mostly pops up in flavor chemistry or as a building block in larger syntheses. You’re not finding it in your toothpaste or salad dressing. Type its name into consumer safety databases and you’ll find near silence, even in Europe, where chemical scrutiny goes deep.
Chemical safety depends on clear information and good workplace habits. People mixing or packaging this substance benefit from gloves, eye protection, and sensible storage—nothing more dramatic than common sense. If a container gets dropped and powder spills, ventilation and prompt cleanup work well. For the average person, there’s no meaningful hazard; for workers, it’s about respect for safety routines.
If any company ever starts using a substance like this in consumer goods at high levels, then public health agencies step in with testing and regulations. Until that happens, clear MSDS labeling and good in-house training handle the challenge. Employers share responsibility for keeping workers informed and giving them up-to-date safety tools. Regulators can help by making data clear and easy to find, not buried behind complicated jargon or paywalls.
Most chemists who’ve worked in a lab know how easy it is to overlook the details that keep lab stock reliable. 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid might not sound familiar to everyone, but for those who work with specialty chemicals, storing it right makes or breaks the outcome of syntheses, reactions, and downstream uses in pharma and research. I learned that the hard way as a junior chemist, once opening a bottle with compromised contents due to careless shelving. It doesn’t take much—moisture sneaks in, temperature drifts up, and you’ve lost not just a sample, but the trust in your benchwork until you can replace it.
So here’s a look at storage from the ground level, not just a bullet-point list you might find in a product catalog.
5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid absorbs water from the air faster than you’d expect if stored uncapped, especially on humid days. An open vial left on the benchtop even for half an hour can end up sticky or clumped, and if you’re working with microgram scales, that water uptake ruins your measurements. Experienced chemists always seal samples tight and stash them quickly in a desiccator. Silica gel packs or properly regenerated desiccant cartridges help keep relative humidity below 30% inside sample containers.
This compound holds together well at room temperature, but direct sunlight or warm storage rooms can trigger slow changes. I once saw a batch degrade early during a heatwave, unnoticed until quality testing flagged odd results. To limit these risks, I always keep the working stock in a temperature-controlled cabinet, away from heating vents or windows. Some labs recommend 2–8°C for longer-term storage, but for many day-to-day uses, keeping the temp at a steady 20–25°C without wide swings is enough.
Fine powders tend to attract dust, fibers, or residues from previous projects. In shared labs, cross-contamination turns up more than most people admit. Before and after handling the acid, use gloves, and clean spatulas or scoops. If spills happen, wipe down surfaces instead of brushing, which tends to kick up finer particles. Transferring material with fresh tools each time keeps the compound pure and delivers consistent results.
There’s always a temptation to skip clear labels when in a rush. I’ve seen anonymous bottles passed around, leading to wasted time tracking down batch histories or, worse, mixing up chemicals. Make it a reflex: write out the full chemical name, concentration or batch number, date of receipt, and any unusual handling notes. Good record-keeping outweighs any effort if you ever need to track a problem back to its source, or just need to quickly assess if it’s time to reorder.
5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid pays back careful handling. Store in a cool, dry spot, use airtight containers, protect from light, and label clearly. My own experience taught me that even a little routine diligence spares you failed experiments and keeps your hard-earned reputation with colleagues intact. For anyone serious about reproducible results and safe chemistry, how you store these specialty compounds matters as much as what you do with them.
Purity can make or break outcomes in industries like pharmaceuticals, agriculture, or advanced materials. For anyone working in a lab, even small impurities can throw off experiments, affect safety, or mess with the performance of their final product. I’ve seen promising projects face dead-ends simply due to an impurity hiding in a single reagent. For 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid, the consequences of a low purity sample ripple through any process relying on it.
The values you see on a typical certificate of analysis outline the story. Most producers highlight a purity above 98%, backed up by HPLC or GC testing. Some batches boast 99% or even higher. Color and solubility also come into play, acting almost like warning lights for hidden contaminants—experienced chemists spot problems by sight and smell just as often as by numbers.
There are other markers on those certificates. Chloride content, ash levels, water by Karl Fischer titration, and the melt point tell their side of the narrative, ensuring every barrel, bottle, or envelope contains what it claims. Each field in those documents matters when someone needs to trust a material for sensitive applications, whether for drug research or technical manufacturing.
Standards don’t just float out of thin air. Organizations like the ACS, ISO, and various pharmacopeias set benchmarks for purity and allowable levels of certain trace substances. The numbers suppliers advertise often tie back to these benchmarks. Labs relying on quality know that “analytical grade” means just that—a product that won't sneak hidden surprises into your workflow.
People in the field check for polymorphs, color changes, or micro-contaminations, especially if scaling up for pilot or bulk production. Small details like an off-shade powder or slow-dissolving crystals can point to issues that cascade up the line to impact final application. In-house verification with NMR or mass spectrometry becomes a standard, not just a luxury, when workflows demand certainty.
Cutting corners on chemical quality often feels tempting for cost savings. That short-term thinking rarely pays off. For instance, lingering solvent residues above 0.2% can block downstream synthesis or complicate purity in the final product. Missed specifications for moisture or residual metals pose risks to health and safety or could waste time in troubleshooting unexplained failures. In environments making regulated products, a failed batch doesn’t just hit the bottom line—it can close whole product lines or spark regulatory headaches.
Demand for traceability grows every year. Clients ask for full batch records and proof of source, not just an assay value typed on paper. Blockchain and digital traceability tools help confirm that the purity claimed matches the purity delivered. Some chemical vendors now ship samples with QR codes linking straight to batch-specific analytical data. As someone who’s had to retrace a supply chain to pinpoint a hidden impurity, transparency of this sort brings real peace of mind and saves massive troubleshooting time.
Genuine progress comes from open communication between sellers and buyers—sharing detailed spectra, tracking logistics, and quickly correcting mistakes. Quality, in specialty chemicals like 5-Methylpyrazine-2-Carboxylic Acid, comes backed not just by numbers, but by shared standards, open data, and a reputation for reliability earned over many shipments and years.
| Names | |
| Preferred IUPAC name | 5-methylpyrazine-2-carboxylic acid |
| Other names |
5-Methyl-2-pyrazinecarboxylic acid 5-Methylpyrazine-2-carboxylate 5-Methylpyrazinecarboxylic acid 5-Methyl-2-pyrazinecarboxylate |
| Pronunciation | /ˈfaɪˈmɛθɪl.paɪˈræziːn.tuː.kɑːrˈbɒksɪlɪk ˈæsɪd/ |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | 15707-23-0 |
| Beilstein Reference | 89656 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:34605 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL164639 |
| ChemSpider | 82196 |
| DrugBank | DB08707 |
| ECHA InfoCard | 03bbaab1-d4b3-48ad-bc5f-ee9a43cc71d9 |
| Gmelin Reference | 776081 |
| KEGG | C16265 |
| MeSH | D058723 |
| PubChem CID | 11446753 |
| RTECS number | UY9760000 |
| UNII | 8623L8N4J6 |
| UN number | Not regulated |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | DTXSID3049584 |
| Properties | |
| Chemical formula | C6H6N2O2 |
| Molar mass | 138.13 g/mol |
| Appearance | white to light yellow solid |
| Odor | Odorless |
| Density | 1.267 g/cm³ |
| Solubility in water | Slightly soluble in water |
| log P | 0.02 |
| Vapor pressure | 0.0000327 mmHg at 25°C |
| Acidity (pKa) | 2.5 |
| Basicity (pKb) | pKb = 10.16 |
| Magnetic susceptibility (χ) | -52.9·10⁻⁶ cm³/mol |
| Refractive index (nD) | 1.595 |
| Dipole moment | 3.31 D |
| Thermochemistry | |
| Std molar entropy (S⦵298) | 204.7 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ |
| Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | –208.2 kJ/mol |
| Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) | -2467 kJ/mol |
| Hazards | |
| Main hazards | Harmful if swallowed. Causes serious eye irritation. Causes skin irritation. |
| GHS labelling | GHS07,WARN,H315,H319,H335 |
| Pictograms | GHS07 |
| Signal word | Warning |
| Hazard statements | H302: Harmful if swallowed. |
| Precautionary statements | P261, P264, P271, P272, P273, P280, P302+P352, P305+P351+P338, P312, P321, P330, P362+P364, P501 |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | 1-1-0 |
| Flash point | 120.1°C |
| LD50 (median dose) | LD50 (median dose): >2000 mg/kg (rat, oral) |
| NIOSH | NL |
| PEL (Permissible) | Not established |
| REL (Recommended) | 0.05 mg/m³ |
| IDLH (Immediate danger) | Not established |
| Related compounds | |
| Related compounds |
Pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid 5-Methylpyrazine 2,3-Dimethylpyrazine 5-Methylpyrazine-2-carboxamide 5-Methylpyrazine-2-carboxylate 6-Methylpyrazine-2-carboxylic acid |
