Mucic+Acid

It forms a crystalline powder which melts at 213 °C. It is insoluble in [|alcohol], and nearly insoluble in cold water. Due to the symmetry in the molecule, it is optically inactive even though it has [|chiral] carbon atoms (i.e., it is a meso compound ). When heated with pyridine to 140 °C, it is converted into allommic acid. When digested with fuming hydrochloric acid for some time it is converted into a [|furfural] dicarboxylic acid while on heating with [|barium] sulfide it is transformed into athiophene carboxylic acid. The ammonium salt yields on dry distillation carbon dioxide, ammonia , pyrrol and other substances. The acid when fused with caustic alkalis yields oxalic acid. With potassium bisulfate mucic acid forms **3-hydroxy-2-pyrone** by dehydration and decarboxylation.
 * Mucic acid**, C6H10O8 or HOOC-(CHOH)4-COOH, (also known as galactaric or meso-galactaric acid) is obtained by nitric acid oxidation of galactose or galactose-containing compounds like [|lactose], dulcite , quercite , and most varieties of gum.



USES: Mucic acid can be used to replace tartaric acid in self rising flour or fizzies.