
Urocanic Acid
Urocanic acid is an alpha,beta-unsaturated monocarboxylic acid that is prop-2-enoic acid substituted by a 1H-imidazol-4-yl group at position 3. It is a metabolite of hidtidine. It has a role as a chromophore and a human metabolite. It is a member of imidazoles and an alpha,beta-unsaturated monocarboxylic acid. It is a conjugate acid of a urocanate. — ChEBI
- IUPAC name
- (E)-3-(1H-imidazol-5-yl)prop-2-enoic acid
- Molecular formula
- C6H6N2O2
- Molecular weight
- 138.12 g/mol
- Exact mass
- 138.042927438 Da
- XLogP3
- 0.0
- Topological polar surface area
- 66.0 Ų
- Hydrogen-bond donors
- 2
- Hydrogen-bond acceptors
- 3
- Covalent units
- 1
- Defined stereocentres
- 0
Also known as
16 more reported names
External database identifiers
- ChEBI:CHEBI:27248
- ChEBI:CHEBI:30817
- ChEMBL:CHEMBL1236602
- EPA DTXSID:DTXSID5041148
- PubMed:24061166
- PubMed:15337293
- PubMed:14617103
Evidence from additional scientific databases
NIH PubChem PUG-View
Attributed physical-property, hazard, environmental and use annotations.
- Melting Point: 225 °C Source: DrugBank
- Melting Point: 225 °C Source: Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)
- Physical Description: Solid Source: Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)
- Solubility: 1500 mg/L (at 17 °C) Source: DrugBank
- Solubility: 1.5 mg/mL at 17 °C Source: Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review Conclusion: The safety of this ingredient has not been documented and substantiated. The CIR Expert Panel cannot conclude whether Urocanic Acid is safe for use in cosmetic products until such time as the appropriate safety data have been obtained and evaluated. Source: Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review Finding(s): Ingredients for which the data are insufficient and their use in cosmetics is not supported Source: Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review Link: CIR ingredient: Urocanic Acid Source: Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
Mapped by: Existing checksum-valid CAS to unique PubChem CID match. Retrieved: 2026-08-31. Open source record
Scientific classifications and hazard annotations provide context and do not replace the market-specific regulatory decision shown above.
Additional source coverage and match status
| Source | Result | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| EMBL-EBI ChEBI | Needs review | 2026-08-31 |
| NIH PubChem PUG-View | Exact match | 2026-08-31 |
A recorded no-match is useful evidence that the source was checked; it is not a claim that the substance does not exist elsewhere.
Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-09-02 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.