Phthalaldehyde

o-Phthalaldehyde (CAS 643-79-8), commonly abbreviated as OPA, is an aromatic dialdehyde used in pharmaceutical, personal care, and specialty chemical manufacturing.

Where is Phthalaldehyde used?

• Healthcare: active biocidal agent in cold sterilization solutions for heat-sensitive medical instruments, particularly endoscopes
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing: synthetic building block in the production of APIs and heterocyclic compounds
• Analytical chemistry and diagnostics: fluorometric reagent for detecting primary amines and amino acids in HPLC workflows
• Personal care: antimicrobial properties in preservation systems for rinse-off and professional-use products
• It functions primarily as a high-level disinfectant and chemical intermediate.

Good to know: It often outperforms glutaraldehyde in speed and efficacy for clinical applications. Buyers should confirm purity specifications against USP or equivalent compendial standards depending on requirements.

Commercial specifications

• High-purity synthesis-grade material suitable for pharmaceutical intermediates