Product Added to Cart!
$92.00

FREE
SHIPPING

100% MONEY
BACK GUARANTEE

ONLINE
SUPPORT 24/7

Available on backorder. No lead time available. Please request a quote.
Sku CI02883_250_G
Chem Impex
Get Bulk Quote

Product Information

Product Name
Trifluoroacetic acid
Brand Name
Chem Impex
Product Number
02883
CAS
76-05-1
Certificate of Analysis (COA)​
COA not found

General Information

PubChem CID
6422
IUPAC Name
2,2,2-trifluoroacetic acid
InChI Key
DTQVDTLACAAQTR-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES
C(=O)(C(F)(F)F)O

Description

Product Introduction

Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA, CAS No. 76-05-1) is a strong fluorinated carboxylic acid widely used in peptide synthesis, protein chemistry, pharmaceutical development, organic synthesis, analytical chemistry, and fluorine chemistry. Owing to its high acidity, volatility, and excellent solubility in both water and organic solvents, TFA has become one of the most important reagents in modern synthetic and analytical laboratories. It is extensively employed as a deprotection reagent, ion-pairing reagent for HPLC, reaction solvent, and catalyst in a broad range of chemical transformations.

Chemical Properties

Chemical Information

Property Value
Chemical Name Trifluoroacetic Acid
Synonyms TFA; 2,2,2-Trifluoroacetic Acid; Trifluoroethanoic Acid
CAS Number 76-05-1
Molecular Formula C₂HF₃O₂ (CF₃COOH)
Molecular Weight 114.02 g/mol
Appearance Colorless, transparent liquid
Boiling Point Approximately 72 °C
Solubility Miscible with water and most polar organic solvents

Chemical Characteristics

Trifluoroacetic Acid exhibits several properties that make it indispensable in laboratory research:

  • Strong organic acid (pKa ≈ 0.2)
  • Highly volatile, facilitating easy removal after reactions
  • Excellent solvent compatibility
  • Efficient proton donor
  • High purity suitable for analytical and synthetic applications
  • Compatible with peptide synthesis and biomolecule purification

Key Research Applications

1.Organic Synthesis

Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA) is a versatile reagent widely used in organic synthesis due to its strong acidity and excellent solvent compatibility. It serves as an effective catalyst and reaction medium for a variety of acid-promoted transformations, helping improve reaction efficiency, selectivity, and product yield.

Typical applications include:

  • Acid-catalyzed organic transformations
  • Protecting group removal
  • Cyclization and rearrangement reactions
  • Esterification and hydrolysis
  • Pharmaceutical intermediate synthesis

2.Peptide Chemistry

TFA is one of the most widely used reagents in solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). It efficiently removes acid-labile protecting groups and cleaves peptides from solid supports, enabling the synthesis and purification of complex peptide molecules.

Typical applications include:

  • Fmoc peptide synthesis
  • Side-chain deprotection
  • Peptide resin cleavage
  • Peptide purification
  • Protein and peptide research

3.Analytical Chemistry

Trifluoroacetic Acid is commonly used as a mobile-phase modifier, solvent additive, and acidifying reagent in chromatographic analysis. It improves chromatographic peak shape, enhances separation efficiency, and supports reliable analysis of biomolecules and small organic compounds.

Typical analytical techniques include:

  • Reversed-phase HPLC
  • LC-MS method development
  • Peptide and protein analysis
  • Quality control testing
  • Analytical method validation

4.Pharmaceutical Development

TFA is widely employed in pharmaceutical research and process development for the synthesis, purification, and modification of drug candidates and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). It also facilitates the preparation of pharmaceutically relevant intermediates and salts.

Typical applications include:

  • API synthesis
  • Medicinal chemistry
  • Process optimization
  • Drug intermediate preparation
  • Pharmaceutical impurity analysis

5.Environmental Analysis

Due to its strong acidity and chemical stability, Trifluoroacetic Acid is used in environmental and analytical laboratories for sample preparation and chromatographic analysis. It assists in the detection, separation, and quantitative analysis of trace compounds and environmental contaminants.

Typical applications include:

  • Environmental sample preparation
  • Pollutant analysis
  • Water quality testing
  • Trace organic compound analysis
  • Chromatographic method development

Recommended Experimental Conditions

Parameter Recommended Conditions
Storage Store in a tightly sealed container
Storage Temperature Room temperature in a cool, dry place
Moisture Protection Recommended
Compatible Solvents Water, methanol, acetonitrile, dichloromethane
Handling Use in a well-ventilated laboratory or fume hood

Advantages

  • High-purity fluorinated organic acid
  • Excellent volatility for easy removal
  • Strong acid suitable for efficient deprotection
  • Widely accepted HPLC ion-pairing reagent
  • Compatible with peptide and protein research
  • Versatile reagent for organic synthesis
  • Suitable for pharmaceutical and analytical applications

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

 

What is Trifluoroacetic Acid used for?

Trifluoroacetic Acid is widely used in solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), HPLC mobile phases, organic synthesis, pharmaceutical research, and protein analysis.

 

Why is TFA commonly used in peptide synthesis?

Its strong acidity efficiently removes acid-labile protecting groups and cleaves peptides from solid supports while being easily removed because of its volatility.

 

Why is TFA added to HPLC mobile phases?

TFA improves chromatographic peak shape, suppresses unwanted ionic interactions, and enhances the separation of peptides and proteins in reversed-phase HPLC.

 

Can Trifluoroacetic Acid be used in LC-MS analysis?

Yes. TFA is commonly used during HPLC method development; however, because it may suppress ionization efficiency in electrospray ionization (ESI), lower concentrations or alternative additives such as formic acid may be preferred for LC-MS applications.

 

Is Trifluoroacetic Acid suitable for protein purification?

Yes. It is widely employed in peptide purification, protein characterization, proteomics sample preparation, and amino acid sequencing workflows.

 

What types of reactions can TFA catalyze?

TFA is commonly used in deprotection, hydrolysis, cyclization, condensation, rearrangement, and other acid-catalyzed organic reactions.

 

How should Trifluoroacetic Acid be stored?

Store it in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location, away from incompatible chemicals and moisture.

 

Is this product intended for research use only?

Yes. This product is intended for laboratory research, analytical testing, and industrial R&D applications only.

References Data Source From Pubchem

In vitro assessment of antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic and alpha-amylase inhibition of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains from a fermented Algerian milk

Publication Name: Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]
Publication Date: 2026-05-26
DOI: 10.1007/s42770-025-01856-x|10.1007/s42770-026-01946-4

Correction to: Quality by Design (QbD) Assisted HPLC Method for Concurrent Estimation of Aloe-Emodin and Adapalene

Publication Name: Journal of Pharmaceutical Innovation
Publication Date: 2026-05-11
DOI: 10.1007/s12247-026-10429-w|10.1007/s12247-026-10650-7

Author Correction: Strong and recyclable bio-derived poly(ester amide) hot-melt adhesive

Publication Name: Nature Sustainability
Publication Date: 2026-03-25
DOI: 10.1038/s41893-026-01776-0|10.1038/s41893-026-01904-w

AND logic nanoparticle for precision immunotherapy of metastatic cancers

Publication Name: Nature Nanotechnology
Publication Date: 2026-03-09
DOI: 10.1038/s41565-026-02130-3

Total Chemical Synthesis and Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Properties of Porcine β-Defensin 5 Against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria

Publication Name: Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins
Publication Date: 2026-03-04
DOI: 10.1007/s12602-025-10870-2