Levulinic acid and its derivatives, like sodium levulinate, are used in organic and natural cosmetic compositions for perfuming, skin conditioning and pH-regulating purposes. They give inherent fresh odor, prevent wrinkles and stabilize formulations and emulsions.

Levulinate ketals can be used as formulation aids dissolving a wide range of actives, thus expanding the range of actives and increasing actives concentration; incorporating water into anhydrous systems, thus enabling high water loading for moisturizing formulations; expanding solubility of ethanol, while retaining clarity; and last, but not least, by complimenting to natural formulations to reduce greasiness, while offering a dry, silky after-feel.

In fragrances, levulinic acid has a creamy whiskey-like odour; in flavors, it is used in compositions to create caramel, butterscotch and maple flavors. In food applications, levulinic acid is used for multiple functions, for instance as pH regulator for formulation. The derivative levulinate ester is also a flavoring agent.

Levulinate ketals and esters solubilize fragrance ingredients and solids, compatibilize fragrances with soy waxes, reduce VOC content in fragrance solutions and act as phthalate-free fragrance fixatives.

Levulinic acid can be used for example in waterborne coatings to facitlitate the crosslinking process.

A derivative of levulinic acid, DPA can be used as a potential partial replacement for bisphenol A (BPA) in epoxy resins, by adding functionality such us improved cross-linking, covalently bonded plasticizers and so on.

Levulinic acid is used in anti-inflammatory medication (e.g. indomethacin), anti-allergy agents, mineral supplements (e.g. calcium levulinate) and transdermal patches.

Levulinic acid esters and ketals, gammavalerolactone and MeTHF are derivatives of levulinic acid that are suitable solvents for a number of applications.

Ketals and ester levulinates are used in industries like metal cleaning, remanufacturing, industrial plants cleaning and Industrial & Institutional, levulinate ketals deliver excellent degreasing/stain removal, remove polymers (baked on epoxy, elastomers, etc.), are stable in concentrate formulations without clouding, while having a safe toxicology profile for workers, enabling reduced post waste treatment.

GVL has value advantages over traditional solvents because of its higher solvating power and lower vapor pressure.

MeTHF is appealing for applications in syntheses involving organometallics, organocatalysis, and bio-transformations or for processing lignocellulosic materials. It’s low miscibility with water, make of MeTHF an excellent solvent for extraction processes.

Levulinic acid-derived ketal plasticizers can replace major phthalate-based plasticizers which account for the majority of the world’s plasticizer market. Demand is increasing for renewable, phthalate-free plasticizers as sustainability is driving manufacturers to consider alternatives to incumbent plasticizers, especially for biobased polymers and applications for children’s toys, as well as for products in contact with humans.

Delta-amino levulinic acid (DALA) is a naturally-occurring chemical with a large variety of functions. It is used as a herbicide on lawns and certain grain crops. DALA is a suitable replacement for traditional herbicides and pesticides.

Moreover, our levulinic acid based solvents can be used as adjuvants to enhance the effectiveness of pesticides such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and other agents that control or eliminate unwanted pests. These products are easy to pour and spray, have low odor, are compatible with HDPE and their use does not require special equipment or procedures.