Iminodiacetic acid

Chemical Properties

white or yellowish crystalline powder

Uses

Iminodiacetic acid can be used:

• In the preparation of iminodiacetic acid (IDA)-type adsorbent for protein purification.
• As a catalyst along with iron (FeCl₃) complexes for methyl methacrylate (MMA) polymerization.
• In the preparation of chelating resins with glycidyl methacrylate for the selective removal and recovery of metal ions from industrial waste water.
• As a reagent for the preparation of pinene-derived iminodiacetic acid (PIDA), which is in turn used as a ligand for the synthesis of diastereoselective oxiranyl C(sp³) boronates from the corresponding olefins.
• In the surface functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) which is further utilized as a sorbent for the separation of heavy metal ions.

Definition

ChEBI: An amino dicarboxylic acid that is glycine in which one of the hydrogens attached to the nitrogen is substituted by a carboxymethyl group.

Purification Methods

Crystallise the acid several times from water. The N-Methyl derivative m 215o is purified by dissolving it in an equal weight of warm H2O and adding 3 volumes of MeOH [Kiematsu et al. Org Synth Coll Vol II 397 1943]. [Laberek & Martell J Am Chem Soc 74 5052 1952, Beilstein 4 III 2428, 4 IV 1176.]