Cyanocobalamin

About This Product

Cyanocobalamin, vitamin B12 with CAS number 68-19-9, is a dark red crystalline powder produced by bacterial fermentation followed by conversion to the cyano form. It is the most widely supplied B12 form in supplements and fortification. Vitamin B12 is a cobalt-centred corrinoid, and which group occupies the sixth coordination position on the cobalt distinguishes the forms. In cyanocobalamin that position is held by a cyanide ligand, which is not naturally occurring in this role but is deliberately introduced because it makes the molecule markedly more stable to light, heat and oxidation than the natural forms, and therefore practical to manufacture, store and formulate. The cyanide is present in trace quantity and is released and excreted on conversion. Because it is not itself a coenzyme, the body must first remove that ligand and convert the molecule to methylcobalamin or adenosylcobalamin before it can function in methionine synthesis or in methylmalonyl-CoA metabolism. For most people that conversion is efficient, which is why cyanocobalamin remains the reference form; the active forms are supplied where a specific rationale applies. It is used in nutritional supplements, food and beverage fortification, animal feed premixes, pharmaceutical preparations and in clinical nutrition. Bio Green Chem supplies cyanocobalamin to specification on assay, loss on drying, appearance, related substances, heavy metals and microbiology.