Itaconic anhydride

Itaconic anhydride (CAS 2170-03-8), also known as Methylenesuccinic anhydride, is a reactive cyclic anhydride derived from itaconic acid.

Where is Itaconic anhydride used?

• Plastics and polymer manufacturing: incorporated into resin formulations to modify backbone reactivity, enabling tailored adhesion, hydrophilicity, or cross-link density in specialty coatings and films
• Home care: production of comb polymers and polycarboxylate dispersants that improve soil suspension and anti-redeposition in detergent systems
• Printing and packaging: co-monomer in binder resins and adhesive formulations
• As a monomer and chemical building block it introduces reactive double bonds and anhydride groups into polymer systems.

Good to know: Its anhydride group enables post-polymerization grafting reactions, making it a candidate for surface-reactive polymer intermediates. Storage requirements reflect its moisture sensitivity, requiring careful handling to maintain the integrity of the chemical profile.

Commercial specifications

• Purity specifications commonly cited in the market are ≥97% and ≥98% by GC
• Packaging options typically ranging from small laboratory quantities to multi-kilogram industrial lots