Calcium diglutamate, sometimes abbreviated CDG and also called calcium biglutamate, is a compound with formula Ca(C5H8NO4)2. It is a calciumacid salt of glutamic acid. CDG is a flavor enhancer (E number E623)—it is the calcium analog of monosodium glutamate (MSG). Because the glutamate is the actual flavor-enhancer, CDG has the same flavor-enhancing properties as MSG but without the increased sodium content.[1] Notably, only the L isomer is used in flavouring as D-glutamate does not have an umami/savoury flavour.[2][3]
As a soluble source of calcium ions, this chemical is also used as a first-aid treatment for exposure to hydrofluoric acid.[4]
Concentration of the solution to a syrup under reduced pressure, followed by gradual crystallisation, affords the monohydrate.[5] Structurally, the glutamate anion is zwitterionic, with the amino group protonated (pKa = 9.47) and both carboxylic-acid groups (pKa = 2.10, 4.07) in their deprotonated carboxylate form.[6]
Calcium di-L-glutamate can be used to prepare other glutamates through metathesis with a soluble sulfate, carbonate or hydroxide salt. For example, manganese(II) di-L-glutamate can be prepared through metathesis with manganese(II) sulphate:[7]
^ abSakata, Yoshiki; Horikawa, Toshiyuki; Takenouchi, Kuniharu (1963). "Alkaline Earth Salts of Glutamic Acid and Optical Resolution of their Racemic Modifications". Agricultural and Biological Chemistry. 27 (7): 518–525. doi:10.1080/00021369.1963.10858140. ISSN0002-1369.
^Einspahr, H.; Bugg, C. E. (1979-02-15). "Calcium binding to α-amino acids: the crystal structure of calcium di-L-glutamate tetrahydrate". Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry. 35 (2): 316–321. doi:10.1107/S0567740879003435.
^Devereux, Michael; Jackman, Maura; McCann, Malachy; Casey, Michael (1998). "Preparation and catalase-type activity of manganese(II) amino acid complexes". Polyhedron. 17 (1): 153–158. doi:10.1016/S0277-5387(97)00211-8.