Product Name: Shikimic acid

synonyms:3,4,5-Trihydroxy-1-Cyclohexene-1-CarboxylicAcid; 3,4,5-Trihydroxy-1- cyclohexene carboxylic acid;
Molecular formula: C₇H₁₀O₅

Molecular weight: 174.15 
CAS No: 138-59-0

Einecs No: 205-334-2
Solubility in water: 180(g/l)

Melting point: 185 - 187 ℃
Appearance: white powder

Shikimic acid, more commonly known as its anionic form shikimate, is an important biochemical intermediate in plants and microorganisms. Its name comes from the Japanese flower shikimi, from which it was first isolated.

Shikimic acid is a precursor for:

a.the aromatic amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine,

b.indole, indole derivatives and aromatic amino acid tryptophan,

c.many alkaloids and other aromatic metabolites,

d.tannins, flavonoids, and lignin.

In the pharmaceutical industry, shikimic acid from the Chinese star anise is used as a base material for production of Tamiflu (oseltamivir). Although shikimic acid is present in most autotrophic organisms, it is a biosynthetic intermediate and generally found in very low concentrations. The low isolation yield of shikimic acid from the Chinese star anise is blamed for the 2005 shortage of oseltamivir. Shikimic acid can also be extracted from the seeds of the sweetgum fruit, which is abundant in North America, in yields of around 1.5%. 4 kg of sweetgum seeds is needed for fourteen packages of Tamiflu. By comparison star anise has been reported to yield 3 to 7% shikimic acid. Recently biosynthetic pathways in E. coli have been enhanced to allow the organism to accumulate enough material to be used commercially.