| Melting Point | 196–198 °C (dec., lit.) |
| Color | White |
| Linear Formula | HO2CCH(SH)CH(SH)CO2H |
| Formula Weight | 182.21 |
| Physical Form | Crystal-powder |
| Chemical Name or Material | meso-2,3-Dimercaptosuccinic Acid |
| Molecular Weight | 182.21–182.22 g/mol |
| SMILES String | `OC(=O)[C@@H](S)[C@@H](S)C(O)=O` |
| Beilstein | 1725150 |
| Assay | ~98% |
| CAS Number | 304-55-2 |
| Storage Temperature | −20 °C |
| EC Number | 206-155-2 |
| Key Functional Groups | Thiol |
| NACRES | NA.22 |
| PubChem Substance ID | 57654130 |
| UNSPSC Code | 12352100 |
| MDL Number | MFCD00064799 |
| Quality Segment | 200 |
| InChI | `1S/C4H6O4S2/c5-3(6)1(9)2(10)4(7)8/h1-2,9-10H,(H,5,6)(H,7,8)/t1-,2+` |
| InChI Key | ACTRVOBWPAIOHC-XIXRPRMCSA-N |
Dimercaptosuccinic acid, commonly abbreviated DMSA and also known by its pharmaceutical name succimer, is a small dicarboxylic acid carrying two adjacent thiol groups on its central carbon backbone. Those two thiol groups are the molecule’s defining feature: sulfur is a “soft” donor atom that binds especially strongly to soft heavy-metal ions like lead, cadmium, mercury, and zinc, which is why DMSA is one of the most recognized chelating agents in both chemistry and medicine. Supplied by Sarchem Labs as a white, ~98%-assay crystalline powder, it should be stored at −20 °C to preserve its reactive thiol groups from oxidation.
DMSA’s core chemistry — two thiol groups that bind heavy metals strongly — underlies its use as a chelating agent in environmental and materials research, including forming monolayers on micromotor surfaces to actively capture and remove toxic zinc, cadmium, and lead contaminants from polluted water. The same thiol chemistry makes it a useful reducing and stabilizing agent in the synthesis of monolayer-protected gold nanoclusters, where its sulfur groups anchor onto the gold surface. DMSA’s carboxylic acid groups also provide a route for further surface functionalization, as seen in its use to install terminal carboxyl groups on oleylamine-coated iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles in the development of targeted drug-delivery systems.
any medical or clinical use would require a properly licensed, pharmaceutical-grade source and is outside the scope of this listing.
No GHS pictograms, signal word, or H-/P-code statements were present in the reference data reviewed — consult the current SDS for complete GHS hazard classification before use.
