N-hydroxysuccinimide is a synthetic ingredient used in cosmetics as an ester to soften and condition skin. It's also a reagent, a substance used to trigger a reaction that leads to a new substance, such as peptides and polymers.N-Hydroxysuccinimide is used in cosmetics and beauty products as an ester often seen in eye creams. N-hydroxysuccinimide activates the elimination of blood originated pigments responsible for dark color and inflammation that causes under eye circles. "Infra-orbital shadows are due to the accumulation of hemoglobin and its coloured degradation products - biliverdin, bilirubin and iron - in the dermis and epidermis ... N-hydroxysuccinimide renders the iron soluble for natural elimination" (source).

White to pale yellow

Reagent for preparation of active esters of amino acids.

N-Hydroxysuccinimide is used for improved amidations in the carbodiimide method. It is also used to activate a carboxyl group and reacts with amine to form amide. It is involved in the preparation of N-hydroxymaleimide-styrene copolymer. Further, it finds use in analytical chemistry. As an additive, it is used in the carbodiimide method for improved amidations and peptide couplings.

N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) is often used to assist carbodiimide-mediated peptide coupling by forming an active ester intermediate via condensation of the surface carboxyl group and NHS. The NHS-reactive ester intermediate is susceptible to nucleophilic attack by primary amines and results in the formation of stable amide bonds between the biomaterial surface and the N-terminus of the peptide.

N-Hydroxysuccinimide has been used in the synthesis of intermediates such as:N-succinimidyl 3-(di-tert-butylfluorosilyl)benzoate4-[2,2-bis[(p-tolylsulfonyl)-methyl] acetyl]benzoic acid-NHS esterN-succinimidyl 3-iodobenzoateIt has also been used in a protocol for the surface modification of microchannels of a microfluidic-integrated surface plasmon resonance (SPR) platform for the detection and quantification of bacterial pathogens.Additive used in the carbodiimide method for improved amidations and peptide couplings.N-Hydroxysuccinimide can be used in the synthesis of N-hydroxysuccinimide ester via dehydration reaction in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide in carboxylic acid.

N-Hydroxysuccinimide can be synthesized by heating succinic anhydride with hydroxylamine or hydroxylamine hydrochloride.

Recrystallise the imide from EtOH/ethyl acetate [Manesis & Goodmen J Org Chem 52 5331 1987]. [Beilstein 21/9 V 498.]