Ethyl cyanohydroxyiminoacetate Ethyl cyanohydroxyiminoacetate Ethyl cyanohydroxyiminoacetate (oxyma) is the oxime of ethyl cyanoacetate and finds use as an additive for carbodiimides, such as dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) in peptide synthesis. It acts as a neutralizing reagent for the basicity or nucleophilicity of the DCC due to its pronounced acidity (pKa 4.60) and suppresses base catalyzed side reactions, in particular racemization. Ethyl cyanohydroxyiminoacetate is obtained in the reaction of ethyl cyanoacetate and nitrous acid (from sodium nitrite and acetic acid) in 87% yield. Because of the rapid hydrolysis of the ester, the reaction should be carried out at pH 4.5, in buffered phosphoric acid the
Ethyl lactate is the source of the lactic acid. Most biologically sourced ethyl lactate is ethyl (−)--lactate (ethyl ("S")-lactate). Ethyl lactate is also produced industrially from petrochemical stocks, and this ethyl lactate consists of the racemic mixture of levo and dextro forms. In some jurisdictions, the "natural" product is exempt from many restrictions placed upon use and disposal of solvents. Because both enantiomers are found in nature, and because ethyl lactate is easily biodegradable, it is considered to be a "green solvent." Due to its relatively low toxicity, ethyl lactate is used commonly in pharmaceutical preparations, food additives, and fragrances. Ethyl lactate