Product Overview

Benzamidine hydrochloride is an organic compound with the molecular formula C₇H₈N₂·HCl and molecular weight of 156.61 g/mol. This white to off-white crystalline solid is a widely used serine protease inhibitor in biochemical research. It is particularly effective at inhibiting trypsin, thrombin, and other trypsin-like serine proteases, making it an essential reagent in protein purification and enzymatic studies.

Synthetic Process

• Synthesis: Benzamidine hydrochloride is prepared by the reaction of benzonitrile with ammonia in the presence of a catalyst, followed by treatment with hydrochloric acid

• Purification: The crude product is purified by recrystallization from ethanol or water-ethanol mixtures

• Drying: The purified product is dried under vacuum to yield the final crystalline compound

Mechanism of Action

• Protease Inhibition: The benzamidine moiety mimics the arginine side chain and binds to the active site of serine proteases, particularly at the S1 specificity pocket

• Competitive Inhibition: Benzamidine acts as a reversible competitive inhibitor, binding to trypsin and related enzymes with dissociation constants in the micromolar range

• Protein Stabilization: Prevents proteolytic degradation during protein purification and storage by inhibiting contaminating proteases

• Structural Studies: Used in crystallization studies as a small-molecule ligand to occupy the active site of proteases

Research Applications & Market Significance

• Protein Purification: Added to extraction buffers to prevent proteolytic degradation of target proteins during purification

• Enzyme Kinetics: Used as a reference inhibitor in enzyme characterization and inhibitor screening assays

• Crystallography: Employed in soaking experiments and co-crystallization with serine proteases

• Drug Discovery: Serves as a lead scaffold for the development of therapeutic protease inhibitors

• Diagnostic Kits: Component in clinical assays for coagulation and protease activity measurement

Quality Specifications

• Purity: ≥98.0% (HPLC)

• Melting point: 167-169°C

• Loss on drying: ≤0.5%

• Residue on ignition: ≤0.1%

• Solubility: Freely soluble in water and ethanol

• pH (1% solution): 4.0-6.0

• Storage: 2-8°C, sealed, protected from moisture

• Stable for 24 months when properly stored

Packaging & Shipping

• Research quantities: 5g, 25g amber glass vials

• Bulk quantities: 100g, 500g amber glass bottles

• Shipped at ambient temperature