MANDELIC

ACID (Phenylglycollic Acid), C8H803  C6H5•CH(OH)•000H, an isomer of the cresotinic and oxymethylbenzoic acids . Since the molecule contains asymmetric carbon atom, the acid exists in three forms, one being an inactive " racemic " mixture, and the other two being optically active forms . The inactive variety is known as paramandelic acid . It may be prepared by the action of hydrochloric acid on the addition compound of benzaldehyde and hydrocyanic acid: C5H5CHO+HCN+HC1+2H2O= C5H5•CHOH•COOH+NH4CI, (F . L . Winckler, Ann., 1836, 18, 310), by boiling phenylchloracetic acid with alkalis (A . Spiegel, Ber., 1881, 14, 239), by heating benzoylformaldehyde with alkalis (H. v . Pechmann, Ber., 1887, 20, 2905), and by the action of dilute alkalies on w-dibromacetophenone (C .