Ascorbic Acid Formula: We all know the importance of Vitamin C in our body, but we should also know its entire chemistry! The chemical name of Vitamin C is “Ascorbic Acid”, having the chemical formula \({{\rm{C}}_6}{{\rm{H}}_8}{{\rm{O}}_6}.\) It belongs to the monosaccharide family. 

Ascorbic acid is the most heat-labile among all vitamins and is sensitive to heat. Due to this reason, it leaches out from the vegetables containing Ascorbic Acid when immersed in hot water. It acts as an antioxidant that helps to fight bacterial infections and wound healing.

Vitamin C is also water-soluble, so it cannot be produced or stored in the human body. Thus, it must be ingested through our diet. The various sources of Ascorbic Acid or Vitamin C are citrus fruits and some fresh vegetables. Amla (gooseberry) is one of its richest sources. In this article, let’s learn everything about Ascorbic Acid Formula. Read on to find more.

What is Ascorbic Acid?

Pure Vitamin C is chemically known as L-Ascorbic Acid or simply Ascorbic Acid. \({“\rm{L}}”\) refers to the specific \({\rm{3 – D}}\) structure of the molecule and its direction of rotation when passed through the polarised plane light. Ascorbic Acid or Vitamin C is a natural water-soluble vitamin. L-ascorbic acid is a crystalline powder with a white to very pale yellow colour having a sharp, acidic taste.

Chemical Formula and Structure of Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

The chemical formula of Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid is \({{\rm{C}}_6}{{\rm{H}}_8}{{\rm{O}}_6}.\) It is an organic compound also known as ‘Hexuronic acid’, i.e., it is a uronic acid derived from a hexose. Ascorbic acid exists as two enantiomers that are denoted as \({‘\rm{L}}’\) and \({‘\rm{D}}’\) types. 

Vitamin C is purely the L-enantiomer of Ascorbic Acid. In contrast, the opposite D-enantiomer has no physiological significance. Both \({‘\rm{D}}’\) and \({‘\rm{L}}’\) forms differ in the orientation at the last chiral centre having the same \({\rm{2 – D}}\) molecular structure. Intramolecular hydrogen bonding is also present in this compound. The word Ascorbic is derived from “anti-scurvy” because its deficiency causes a disease known as scurvy.

Properties of Ascorbic Acid 

The properties of Ascorbic acid are explained below:

Chemical Formula of Ascorbic Acid	\({{\rm{C}}_6}{{\rm{H}}_8}{{\rm{O}}_6}\)
Molar Mass / Molecular Weight of Ascorbic Acid	\(176.12\;{\rm{gmo}}{{\rm{l}}^{ – 1}}\)
The density of Ascorbic Acid	\(1.65\;{\rm{gc}}{{\rm{m}}^{ – 3}}\)
Melting Point of Ascorbic Acid	\({\rm{19}}{{\rm{0}}^{\rm{o}}}{\rm{C}}\)
Boiling Point of Ascorbic Acid	\({\rm{55}}{{\rm{3}}^{\rm{o}}}{\rm{C}}\)
Solubility of Ascorbic Acid	Water-soluble

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Synthesis of Ascorbic Acid

Though vitamin C is found in fruits and vegetables, it must be synthesised artificially in laboratories and industries to meet the increasing demand in the pharmaceutical industry. Ascorbic acid is synthesised industrially using a combination of chemical and microbial methods, with D-Glucose as the starting material. This process is known as the Reichstein process.

Reichstein Process for the Industrial Synthesis of Ascorbic Acid

1. The first step of the reaction is the hydrogenation of D-Glucose to D-sorbitol under high temperature and high pressure using Nickel as a catalyst. This step is followed by microbial oxidation of D-sorbitol to L-sorbose by Acetobacter at \({\rm{3}}{{\rm{0}}^{\rm{o}}}{\rm{C}}\) and \({\rm{pH}}\,{\rm{4 – 6}}\)
2. After this, acetone and an acid protect four hydroxyl groups by forming acetal and forms Diacetone-L-sorbose. 
3. This acetal undergoes organic oxidation in the presence of \({\rm{KMn}}{{\rm{O}}_4}.\) They were followed by heating in the presence of water to form \(2-\)Keto-L-gulonic acid. This can also be prepared by reacting Diacetone-L-sorbose with oxygen and platinum. 
4. At the last ring, closure occurs, also known as gamma lactonisation, along with removing water molecules leading to Ascorbic Acid or Vitamin C formation. The complete chemical reaction scheme is given below:

Uses of Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid

Vitamin C is necessary for our body as it performs various crucial functions, and its deficiency causes many diseases. Let’s have a detailed discussion on its uses:

1. Vitamin C is required for wound healing as it is responsible for the hydroxylation of Proline and Lysine in collagen fibres found in connective tissue, fibrous tissue, bones, and teeth.
2. Ascorbic acid plays a key role in iron absorption by keeping iron in ferrous \(\left( {{\rm{F}}{{\rm{e}}^{{\rm{2 + }}}}} \right)\) state. 
3. Deficiency of Vitamin C causes a disease called ‘Scurvy‘ that leads to bruising, swollen gums and poor dentine formation.
4. It helps to fight against different viral and bacterial infections like pneumonia, common cold, etc.
5. Vitamin C acts as a detoxifying agent for our body, where it acts as an antioxidant.
6. It is also used to treat skin-related problems such as pimples, acne, and gum infection, etc.
7. Vitamin C is also used to treat gastric and peptic ulcers that is caused by the bacteria Helicobacter pylorus that infects the entire gastrointestinal tract. 
8. Regular vitamin C supplementation is used to prevent gallbladder disease such as gallstones, along with increased physical activity and total cholesterol levels.

Sources of Ascorbic Acid

The daily requirement of Ascorbic Acid per day is \({\rm{90}}\,{\rm{mg}}\) for men and \({\rm{75}}\,{\rm{mg}}\) for women. Ascorbic acid is rapidly absorbed from our intestine and excreted in the urine. Thus, this vitamin is not stored in our bodies. As a result, we must take daily supplementation of Vitamin C. Besides taking supplements of Vitamin C tablets; we should focus on the intake of its natural sources. Apart from oranges, there are many more abundant sources of Ascorbic Acid or Vitamin C, they are:

1. Kakadu plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana) is an Australian native fruit containing the highest known concentration of vitamin C, i.e., up to \({\rm{5,300}}\,{\rm{mg}}\,{\rm{per100}}\,{\rm{grams}}{\rm{.}}\)
2. Indian gooseberry or Amla is also one the richest natural sources containing \({\rm{700}}\,{\rm{mg}}\) Ascorbic \({\rm{Acid/100\;g}}.\)
3. Citrus fruits, such as limes, oranges and lemons, contain \({\rm{77}}\,{\rm{mg}}\) of vitamin C per \({\rm{100}}\,{\rm{grams}}{\rm{.}}\)
4. Kiwis contain \({\rm{93}}\,{\rm{mg}}\) of vitamin C per \({\rm{100}}\,{\rm{grams}}{\rm{,}}\) and strawberries contain \({\rm{58.8}}\,{\rm{mg}}\) of vitamin C per \({\rm{100}}\,{\rm{grams}}{\rm{.}}\)
5. Acerola cherries are also a very rich source of Vitamin C. Only \({\rm{49}}\,{\rm{grams}}\) of red acerola cherries deliver \({\rm{822}}\,{\rm{mg}}\) of vitamin C. Acerola extract have been shown to have cancer-fighting properties, help to prevent skin damage caused by UV-B radiations, and even reduce DNA damage caused by bad diet.
6. Many vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, green chillies, fortified cereals, etc., are rich sources of Ascorbic Acid.

We should promote the raw consumption of these fruits and vegetables because cooking reduces Vitamin C content in them.

Side Effects of Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid

There is an estimated quantity of Vitamin C intake in our body. If it is taken in excess amounts, it leads to acute toxicity. 

1. If Vitamin C is injected into the body, common side effects of ascorbic acid include transient mild soreness at the subcutaneous injection site. 
2. Too-rapid intravenous administration of the Vitamin C solution may cause temporary faintness or dizziness. 
3. Sometimes if we intake a large amount of vitamin C containing fruits or vegetables on empty stomachs, we may feel uncomfortable and face stomach cramps due to increased acidity.
4. Other side effects of Vitamin C toxicity include nausea, heartburn, vomiting, headache, etc.

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Summary

Ascorbic acid is the chemical name of Vitamin C. Its chemical formula is \({{\rm{C}}_6}{{\rm{H}}_8}{{\rm{O}}_6}.\) It is synthesised from monosaccharides like glucose. Vitamin C is water-soluble, so its regular intake is very important as it is neither produced nor stored in the body. It has antioxidant properties. Vitamin C is essential for daily metabolic reactions in our body on the molecular level as it behaves as an electron donor for many enzymes.

Intramolecular hydrogen bonding is seen in ascorbic acid. Vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins for human beings because it improves immunity and protects blood vessels, eyes, skin, and heart. Scurvy is a common disease that is caused due to Vitamin C deficiency. Cooking Vitamin C containing food may lose its nutritional value because it is heat-labile. Thus, proper intake of Ascorbic Acid is necessary for our diet to keep us healthy.

FAQs on Ascorbic Acid Formula

Q.1. Is Vitamin C the same as Ascorbic Acid?
Ans: Yes, Vitamin C is the same as Ascorbic Acid. Its chemical formula is \({{\rm{C}}_6}{{\rm{H}}_8}{{\rm{O}}_6}.\) Ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that needs to be taken through food supplements.

Q.2. What is the common name for ascorbic acid?
Ans: The common name for Ascorbic acid is Vitamin C. It is present in various foods such as citrus fruits, gooseberries, and some vegetables. The deficiency of Vitamin C leads to a disease known as ‘Scurvy’.

Q.3. Is ascorbic acid just as vitamin C?
Ans: Yes, ascorbic acid is nothing else but Vitamin C only. The word Ascorbic is derived from “anti-scurvy” because its deficiency causes a disease known as scurvy.

Q.4. Why is ascorbic acid bad in excess amounts?
Ans: Ascorbic Acid, if taken in large amounts, may prove to be toxic to our body. It causes side effects like nausea, heartburn, vomiting, joint pain, headache, etc.

Q.5. Which type of ascorbic acid is the best vitamin C?
Ans: Ascorbic acid exists as two enantiomers that are denoted as \({\rm{‘L’}}\) and \({\rm{‘D’}}\) types. Vitamin C is purely the L-enantiomer of Ascorbic Acid. In contrast, the opposite D-enantiomer has no physiological significance. Thus, it can be said that L-Ascorbic Acid is the best Vitamin C.

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