(S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride: An In-Depth Examination
Historical Development
Chemistry tends to move in waves, and (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride didn’t simply appear out of nowhere. Early synthetic work on pyrrolidine compounds grew as research into heterocyclic chemistry deepened in the mid-20th century. Labs wanting to fine-tune selectivity in pharmaceutical synthesis found the trimethyl variation planted interesting possibilities, especially because its chiral nature brought some subtle, but powerful, differences to the table. Researchers began publishing papers noting enantioselective additions and the growing demand for chiral intermediates. This increase in interest led both academic and industrial labs to improve routes for synthesis. Over the last fifteen years, patents mentioning this hydrochloride salt started popping up more frequently as its role expanded in the toolkit of many organic chemists.
Product Overview
(S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride grabs the attention of chemists looking for pure chiral building blocks. Labs handling pharmaceutical and fine chemical synthesis work regularly rely on this compound because it provides a balance: it supports asymmetric reactions and maintains chemical stability better than a lot of free amines in storage. The hydrochloride salt, as most who have handled it can tell, dissolves well in the usual solvents and makes a long shelf life realistic. Specialist distributors, not just chemical supply behemoths, carry it since small-batch research projects and pilot-scale manufacturing both call for accessibility and traceable purity.
Physical & Chemical Properties
Looking at the bench, (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride appears as a crystalline solid, usually white or off-white, providing a visual marker to help quickly spot impurities. The melting point clocks in around 195–200 °C, which matches published specifications and makes overheating during drying less likely. The compound grabs water from humid air, which means working in dry boxes or handling quickly after opening reduces clumping or other headaches. Its molecular formula, C7H16ClN, gives it a molecular weight of about 149.66 g/mol. As a hydrochloride salt, it dissolves quickly in water and readily mixes with methanol or ethanol. Most operators know that storing the compound in tightly sealed containers, away from bases or oxidizers, keeps it stable and safe from gradual degradation.
Technical Specifications & Labeling
Quality control places huge value on labeling purity, enantiomeric excess, and residual solvent content. Certified suppliers list the optical rotation right on the bottle, usually between +45° and +50° (c=1, H2O), aligning with pharmacopoeia standards. Specs specify HPLC purity above 98%; some go above 99%. Typical analysis includes NMR and GC-MS to verify structure and check for rogue byproducts. Labels also warn about moisture sensitivity, along with batch numbers and expiry dates. For bulk users, COAs (certificates of analysis) circulate with every shipment, helping ensure everything meets internal and regulatory standards, especially when the end use could affect clinical trial material.
Preparation Method
Making (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride requires a steady hand with asymmetric synthesis. Popular methods use chiral auxiliaries or catalysts to install the methyl groups, usually tallying several steps starting from simpler alkylamines or protected pyrrolidine cores. I remember using a catalytic hydrogenation route that involved first setting up a double bond with the right methyl pattern, followed by careful chiral reduction to lock in the correct stereochemistry. Next, the purified (S)-amine gets dissolved in anhydrous ether or ethanol before adding measured HCl gas or solution, which instantly yields the solid hydrochloride salt. Crystallization from ethanol, followed by drying under high vacuum, yields a clean product. Yields improve if the starting amine is kept ice-cold before acidification, reducing racemization.
Chemical Reactions & Modifications
This chiral pyrrolidine drives a handful of transformations. Chemists value its nitrogen for ring-opening reactions, nucleophilic substitutions, and enantioselective additions. One popular application involves using it as a chiral auxiliary, where its steric bulk and electronic structure help send reactions down a predictable path. Modifying the core, especially around the nitrogen or the methyl groups, opens doors to countless derivatives, some tested as CNS-active scaffolds. Heating with acid chlorides or sulfonyl chlorides produces N-acyl or N-sulfonyl analogs, which anchor many medicinal chemistry programs. Direct alkylation gets tricky due to steric demands, but with the right conditions, it’s feasible. Chemists who track side reactions, like Hofmann elimination or rearrangements, know that sugary yields only follow careful attention to temperature and reagent choice.
Synonyms & Product Names
Scientific nomenclature rarely sits still. (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride shows up under several synonyms depending on who’s cataloguing it: (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidinium chloride, (S)-2,2,4-Trimethyl-1-pyrrolidine hydrochloride, or simply (S)-TMP·HCl. These variations get attached to CAS number 92550-89-7, which helps avoid mix-ups during procurement or literature searches. Researchers sometimes call it S-TMP hydrochloride in shorthand, and product codes may abbreviate longer names, especially for chemical suppliers keeping inventory tidy.
Safety & Operational Standards
Handling this hydrochloride brings the usual rules for small organic salts. Gloves, eye protection, and lab coats top the list. Direct inhalation or skin contact tends to irritate, and users with frequent exposure report more dryness or mild dermatitis without proper washing. Spills clean up with basic absorbents and quick rinsing, since the salt dissolves easily. Safety data sheets point out incompatibility with strong bases and oxidizing agents, since those combinations generate heat or toxic gases. Most labs store the bottle in cool, dry places, tucked away from light to reduce degradation risk. Disposal routes follow local guidelines for ammonium compounds, channeling waste through designated chemical disposal services.
Application Area
Most people working with (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride develop small molecule pharmaceuticals. The compound turns up as an intermediate in the synthesis of chiral ligands, CNS drugs, and experimental catalysts. Its chiral nature means it offers a shortcut for creating stereochemically pure drug candidates. Some process chemists use it in asymmetric catalysis, where even a few percentage points of enantiomeric purity make or break downstream testing. Beyond pharmaceuticals, researchers dig into its utility as a building block for new ligands in metal-catalyzed reactions, and in specialty polymers with advanced optical properties. Even agrochemical synthesis has seen test runs using this base, chasing better pesticide templates that lean on chiral recognition.
Research & Development
Research never stands still, especially where new drugs and catalysts beckon. Labs keep trying to boost stereoselectivity and reduce waste in the preparation of (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride. Published work on green chemistry approaches, including new chiral catalysts and enzymatic transformations, keep popping up. Having worked on related scaffolds, I know R&D teams worry less about yields per se, and more about reproducibility and contamination from metal traces—they matter more when planning upscaled runs. Some conferences now feature talks on continuous-flow methods for making chiral amines, which could lower footprint and improve access for more researchers. Journals report new derivatives and unexpected biological hits; it only takes one promising result to kickstart a whole new direction for applied synthesis.
Toxicity Research
Toxicology studies for this compound tend to focus on its parent amine and closely related analogs. Acute exposure in animal models typically yields mild to moderate symptoms; researchers keep an eye out for neurotoxic effects since pyrrolidines interact with biological receptors. Chronic studies remain limited, reflecting the relatively niche use of this compound outside laboratory settings. From practical experience, accidental splashes only cause temporary skin and eye irritation, but inhalation of dust leads to coughing and mild headache. Regulators rely on conservative limits for handling, not because severe toxicity has popped up, but because study data still runs thin compared to market-leading intermediates. Users rely on robust engineering controls and stay alert for updates as more toxicity data emerges—especially since some regulatory agencies are tightening reporting requirements for novel chiral amines.
Future Prospects
Looking forward, (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride sits in a good spot for several reasons. Chiral amines make up more new drugs every year, and the demand for scalable, cost-effective intermediates only climbs higher as the pharma industry chases more targeted therapies. Synthetic chemists remain on the hunt for greener, faster routes, particularly using biocatalysts or continuous reactors, which could both lower costs and provide cleaner product. As AI-driven drug design continues picking out previously ignored chiral motifs, demand for this and related scaffolds could jump. Advanced materials science, especially in fields needing chiral selectors or smart polymers, might open another front for large-scale use. Ultimately, as more researchers publish new applications and improved methods, (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride could become indispensable in future laboratories.
Understanding Its Purpose
(S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride might not sound familiar at first glance, but for anyone digging into medicinal chemistry or pharmaceuticals, it pops up more often than expected. This compound works as a key building block in the synthesis of several active pharmaceutical ingredients. Its value comes from its structure and its ability to introduce stereochemistry — that handedness which turns an average medicine into something that fits just right into the body’s biological systems.
Role in Drug Development
Chemists reaching for this compound often work in early-stage drug discovery. The presence of the (S) configuration brings selectivity to drug molecules, which matters a lot when developing medicines targeting very specific proteins or enzymes. As someone who follows new treatments hitting the market, I’ve noticed how small tweaks in molecular structure can turn a marginal candidate into a lifesaver. By including compounds like (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride, researchers can tinker with how a potential drug binds in the body, aiming for more targeted effects and fewer side effects.
Beyond the Lab: Industrial Application
The pharmaceutical field isn’t the only area putting this molecule to work. Specialists in industrial chemistry also turn to such compounds when making custom catalysts or performance additives. The chemical industry values molecules that bring controllable stereochemistry right into the heart of their reactions. There’s real satisfaction in seeing a small molecule help push science forward, whether it’s by making a new medicine safer, a process more efficient, or a product more stable.
Supporting Facts and Insights
Over the last decade, peer-reviewed studies have tracked rising use of (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride in chiral synthesis. A quick search in scientific databases like PubChem or Scopus will show its role in dozens of published reaction schemes. The fact that researchers keep returning to this compound points to reliability—something those of us working in chemical supply chains care about. Demand from research labs reflects the need for high-purity starting materials, especially as regulations tighten and companies look to minimize impurities from the very beginning.
Challenges and Solutions
Access to high-quality sources of (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride remains one of the biggest challenges. Labs that cut corners on purity invite unwanted side products, hurting both yield and safety. The price of rigorous quality control stings, but sloppy work costs much more in regulatory setbacks or failed batches. In my own experience helping a growing company navigate the sourcing of chiral building blocks, I saw firsthand how investing in trusted suppliers pays off. As more companies focus on green chemistry, sustainable alternatives and greener synthesis methods will keep pressure on suppliers to improve.
Why Paying Attention Matters
For a compound with such a niche-sounding name, (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride has an outsized impact in chemistry and medicine. I find these ‘hidden helpers’ fascinating because their absence would stall innovation across a wide range of research. Staying informed about availability, quality, and new uses for such ingredients keeps both scientists and patients a few steps ahead in the race to better health solutions.
What Purity Really Means
Purity isn’t just a number on a certificate or a line on a safety data sheet. Every percentage point in chemical purity carries weight, especially in the world of specialty research and pharmaceuticals. With (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride, the focus lands squarely on its role as a building block for complex molecules. Slip-ups in purity turn what should be reliable results into headaches that waste time and money.
How Purity Impacts Performance
A pure sample—think 98% or above—means chemists work with confidence. They can accurately measure, mix, and predict reactions. Down in those remaining couple of percent, hidden impurities, moisture, or left-over reagents lurk. I’ve watched promising research stall for weeks over small contaminants that block a pathway or tweak a melting point enough to confuse the entire downstream process. In pharmaceutical labs, failing to spot a contaminant can trigger rework or, worse, put patient safety in question.
Most suppliers tout purity levels above 97%, and for many uses that does the job. But not every supplier holds a consistent standard. Some only give a minimum value without real transparency about batch-to-batch shifts. Analytical reports—nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and chiral HPLC—tell the true story. Lab staff who actually check these numbers avoid the trap of trusting a label by itself.
Solutions: Raising the Purity Bar
It’s tempting to chase cost savings with cheaper materials. The small upfront difference can balloon fast when low-purity chemicals torpedo an experiment halfway through. I’ve spoken with chemists who wonder why reactions stall and, after much digging, find their product isn’t what the supplier claimed. So building relationships with suppliers who back up claims with transparent analytics makes all the difference. Audits or regular conversations with vendors about traceability, production controls, and quality checks create a safety net.
Crowdsourcing supplier reputations within your professional network pays off. Colleagues who have already run that material through the grinder know which companies exaggerate and which ones deliver as promised. I rely on peer-reviewed studies and open-access forums—ask around in real-world discussions, and you’ll quickly spot patterns of reliability.
For teams running sensitive syntheses, investing in custom purification or demanding a certificate of analysis for every purchase isn’t overkill. It’s just practical. Some labs even re-purify “high-purity” stock themselves, catching what suppliers missed. This may sound tedious, but it’s a necessary layer of control, especially if the final use connects to regulated drug applications or biotech research.
Beyond the Numbers
In my experience, focusing on purity isn’t just a habit for paperwork's sake—it’s a matter of progress. Every step of research and production benefits when you know exactly what goes into a reaction. The enzyme won’t fail, the spectra won’t confuse, and scale-up runs move forward. Reliable purity helps researchers trust their results, cut down on errors, and get home a little earlier. That’s the value behind the number for (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride.
Why Storage Demands Respect
(S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride sits on lab shelves with a reputation that draws caution. Not every chemical on the bench asks for careful planning, but one misstep here can send months of work spiraling. In my own research days, a friend learned this the hard way—grant money lost, long hours gone, results ruined—because a sample had picked up moisture and degraded before anyone noticed. So, storing this compound isn't just about following a checklist. People’s safety, research budgets, and company trust all hinge on the basics.
Keep it Dry, Keep it Tight
Moist air does more harm to (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride than many new researchers expect. Most hydrochloride salts pull in water from air like a sponge let loose in a puddle. In my experience, glass containers with airtight seals hold up better than plastic, which sometimes warps or passes tiny amounts of vapor. Toss in a silica gel packet for an extra layer of insurance. In some cases, I’ve seen people try to cut corners with cheap screw-cap bottles; it never pays off. Invest in glass, make sure the top snaps on snug, and check the humidity indicator from time to time.
Temperature Speaks Louder Than Labels
Heat speeds up chemical changes, sometimes producing byproducts that no one wants in a reaction. Refrigerators and cool rooms offer a buffer against unexpected building temperatures. In warmer climates, lab spaces can spike above recommended temps for weeks. A trustworthy thermometer inside the storage cabinet gives peace of mind and signals trouble before damage sets in. While it’s tempting to assume room temperature means the same everywhere, old heating and air conditioning systems can mean temperature swings that affect sensitive reagents.
Light Protection Determines Shelf Life
Even ambient light can shorten the life of a hydrochloride salt. Some colleagues use amber bottles to filter out UV and visible light, since bright labs with lots of windows can raise decomposition rates. Tucking samples inside opaque cabinets and labeling clearly helps prevent someone from accidentally leaving the compound on a busy bench under harsh overhead bulbs.
Labeling and Tracking Keep Labs Accountable
Forgetful habits lead to more waste, lost money, and accidents than anything else. When people know where to look and how long a bottle has sat, they avoid using degraded material or wasting time digging for missing chemicals. Every bottle should get a clear name, concentration, date received, and initials. Digital inventory helps, but handwritten labels right on the bottle matter most in a pinch.
Training Beats Fancy Technology
High-priced storage units or automated warning systems only work when people respect them. I’ve seen hazardous materials stored with sodium chloride and nonhazardous solvents just because one technician didn’t pay attention to a sign or skipped a training session. Mandating yearly refreshers and pairing new staff with seasoned lab members means fewer careless mistakes happen.
Building a Habit That Sticks
Storing (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine Hydrochloride safely starts with people taking time, not shortcuts. Checking container seals, choosing the right shelf away from sunlight, logging each bottle’s date, and sharing storage tips as a team—these habits save time, money, and maybe even someone’s safety down the line. The real solution never lives in a manual. It shows up in daily practice, one careful step at a time.
Chemical Supply Chains Feel Every Tug
Finding (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine hydrochloride in the amount a typical R&D team or speciality production line needs can turn into a bit of a wild goose chase. Not every catalog lists it. Those that do often show it in tiny, expensive quantities—say, milligrams or a few grams at best. Anyone looking to buy a kilogram or more often needs to go through custom synthesis houses, which can take weeks to quote, then months to deliver.
This molecule has caught some attention among chemists for its role as a chiral building block or an asymmetric catalyst, so certain research teams in pharma and academia hunt for it more often each year. Still, its scale of use hasn’t reached the point where fine chemical distributors keep it in drums or tankers, like more common precursors. Vendors tend to keep risk low: low shelf presence, high price per gram, buy in advance.
Pain Points in Scaling Up
Here’s what happens: a project makes good progress at gram or milligram scale, and everyone is eager to push forward. A team leader asks for a hundred grams, maybe a kilogram, and suddenly eyebrows raise. Costs for custom synthesis balloon, lead times seem infinite, and it’s all “subject to availability of raw materials.” Sourcing quirks like this grind progress to a halt. Teams lose weeks running in circles with suppliers or negotiating quotes that make the finance department wince.
A lot of this comes down to a simple fact: the specialized nature of (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine hydrochloride keeps it as a boutique item. Manufacturers face the chicken-and-egg problem: with low commercial demand, they hesitate to produce large lots ahead of time, and without large lots on-hand, nobody gets to lower price brackets. It’s easy to look enviously at commodity chemicals, stocked by the ton, and wish more niche intermediates shared that predictability.
What Drives Access and Availability
Lab supply giants (like Sigma-Aldrich or TCI) confirm the limited stock. Their catalogs update yearly, but for rare molecules, there’s little movement. The largest research chemicals suppliers run lean to avoid tying up capital on slow-moving inventory. Synthesizing a batch to order requires compliance checks, waste disposal, and often licensing reviews before they can even get the green light. Each added step inflates timelines and costs.
For those locked out by these constraints, contract research organizations in China and India increasingly offer routes to custom quantities. It’s crucial to vet any supplier for GMP compliance and documentation, especially for pharmaceutical or regulated industries. Both high pricing and the risk of inconsistency or impurities remain facts of life in this market niche. Some companies break past these issues by investing in in-house synthesis, but not every lab has the resources or synthetic firepower.
Moving Toward Solutions
More transparency in the supply chain could shift the balance. If manufacturers published projected capacities or let buyers signal demand ahead of time, producers might pool smaller orders. Consortia of smaller labs can lobby suppliers for a shared batch, driving the threshold for bulk synthesis lower and lowering the risk for everyone involved.
It’s not just about scarcity, either. Reliable testing, quality, and regulatory documentation mean a lot when every gram counts. Learning from other niche chemicals, I’ve seen how direct relationships with trusted suppliers help keep projects on track. Investing in communication beats scrambling after an urgent, last-minute shipment in an unfamiliar package, from a vendor nobody has vetted.
Bulk sources for (S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine hydrochloride exist, but the road runs through the world of custom synthesis, careful planning, and vigilant quality control. Patience, creativity, and tight communication remain the best tools to navigate the supply maze.
Understanding the Substance
(S)-2,2,4-Trimethylpyrrolidine hydrochloride falls into a class of chemicals that can trigger more risk than many realize. Its molecular structure allows it to play a powerful role in synthesis research, but the hydrochloride form also brings hazards that shouldn’t be ignored. In labs, new chemicals like this often mean new protocols and careful habits. A single lapse in judgment can quickly turn curiosity into an accident that could have been avoided by slower, steadier work.
Risks You Can’t Afford to Ignore
Through experience, I’ve seen how even skilled scientists get complacent. Rushing to weigh out a powder means dust can scatter into the air before anyone registers what happened. Skin contacts, inhalation of dust, or accidental splashes to the eyes can turn an afternoon of science into a hospital visit. The hydrochloride version tends to draw moisture from the air, so it clumps up and can cause exposure just by trying to scrape it out of a bottle.
Personal Protective Equipment: Your First Line of Defense
No one in my lab ever worked with materials like this without donning the essentials—lab coat, chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile over latex for added insurance), and snug-fitting goggles. Shoes covered the feet, sleeves stayed buttoned, and jewelry hidden to limit contact points. People often overlook the value of a well-fitting mask; powder can linger in the air for hours, leaving behind invisible traces.
Ventilation and Containment
Fume hoods act as a scientist’s best friend during transfers, dissolutions, or disposals. Solid transfers invite dust, and fume hoods stop that dust from reaching the lungs where it can do lasting harm. Spills on benchtops rarely stay put without an airflow barrier, so learning how to work under a hood and keep all parts of a workspace clean brings peace of mind.
Engineering Controls Beat Good Intentions
Relying solely on reminders or labels never works as well as putting real barriers in place. Closed transfer systems, sealable weighing boats, and proper chemical storage cabinets always outperform a checklist when real accidents strike. I remember a time when an open bottle led to a spill, but the ventilated enclosure contained the mess before it reached anyone’s skin or lungs.
Training Matters
Formal instruction on safe handling, spill response, and emergency procedures always outweighs informal walkthroughs. Every member of the team benefits from actually practicing what to do in a mock emergency, rather than guessing when stress levels spike. Spill kits, eyewash stations, and showers close to the site of use take away minutes of panic, and training helps everyone use them confidently.
Waste and Clean-Up
Waste streams demand as much attention as direct handling. Dry residue, vials, and gloves must go into labeled chemical waste, not regular trash. Labs that cut corners here end up with big problems and regulatory headaches down the line. Regular wipe-downs of work areas with the right cleaning solutions prevent dust buildup and future accidents.
Solutions Worth Sticking To
Safety habits only protect if they stay consistent. Every step, from cracking the seal on a reagent to dropping a used glove into a safety bin, builds a culture that trusts knowledge, not luck. In practice, saying “slow down and do it right every time” works far better than chasing speed or seeing chemical hazards as distant possibilities. Nothing replaces attention, practice, and real respect for what these substances can do—a lesson learned by hard experience and watching others learn it, too.
