It is a white, odorless crystalline powder with a sweet taste and hygroscopic properties. It dissolves readily in water (235g per 100g at 25°C), glycerin, and propylene glycol, is moderately soluble in methanol, ethanol, acetic acid, and in solutions of phenol and acetamide, but is nearly insoluble in most other organic solvents.
Sorbitol Chemical Properties
| Melting point | 98-100 °C (lit.) |
| Alpha | 4 º (per eur. pharm.) |
| Boiling point | Bp760 105° |
| Bulk density | 450kg/m3 |
| Density | 1.28 g/mL at 25 °C |
| Vapor density | <1 (vs air) |
| Vapor pressure | <0.1 mm Hg ( 25 °C) |
| Refractive index | n20/D 1.46 |
| FEMA | 3029 | D-SORBITOL |
| Fp | >100°C |
| Storage temp | Room temp |
| Solubility | Very soluble in water, slightly soluble in ethanol |
| Form | Liquid |
| Pka | PKa (17.5°): 13.6 |
| Color | White |
| Specific Gravity | 1.28 |
| Odor | Odorless |
| PH Range | 5 - 7 at 182 g/l at 25 °C |
| PH | 5.0-7.0 (25℃, 1M in H2O) |
| Optical Rotation | [α]20/D 1.5±0.3°, c = 10% in H2O |
| Odor Type | Caramellic |
| Water Solubility | SOLUBLE |
| Sensitive | Hygroscopic |
| λmax | λ: 260 nm Amax: 0.04 λ: 280 nm Amax: 0.045 |
| Merck | 14,8725 |
| BRN | 1721899 |
| Dielectric constant | 33.5（27℃） |
| Stability | Stable. Avoid strong oxidizing agents. Protect from moisture. |
| InChIKey | FBPFZTCFMRRESA-JGWLITMVSA-N |
| LogP | -4.67 |
| CAS DataBase Reference | 50-70-4(CAS DataBase Reference) |
| NIST Chemistry Reference | Sorbitol(50-70-4) |
| EPA Substance Registry System | Sorbitol (50-70-4) |
Sorbitol is a polyol (polyhydric alcohol) humectant obtained through the hydrogenation of glucose. It is highly soluble in water but has low solubility in oils. With about 60% of the sweetness of sugar and a caloric value of 2.6 kcal/g, it is strongly hygroscopic and offers a pleasant, sweet flavor.
