Pharma & Specialty Chemical Standards

L-Dopa (IUPAC: (2S)-2-amino-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid; molecular formula C9H11NO4, molecular weight 197.19 g/mol) is a non-proteinogenic aromatic amino acid. Structurally, it features a catechol group (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) linked to a glycine-derived side chain. Classified as a precursor to neurotransmitters, it is therapeutically used in Parkinson’s disease to replenish dopamine. Physicochemically, it is a white, hygroscopic solid with moderate water solubility and a melting point of ~250°C. Mechanistically, L-Dopa crosses the blood-brain barrier and is decarboxylated by aromatic amino acid decarboxylase to dopamine, restoring dopaminergic signaling.