Tris Formula – Structure, Properties, Uses, Sample Questions

Tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane, sometimes known as tromethamine or THAM in medicinal contexts, is an organic molecule with the formula (HOCH₂)₃CNH₂. It’s widely utilized in biochemistry and molecular biology as a component of buffer solutions like TAE and TBE buffers, particularly for nucleic acid solutions.

What is Tris?

Tris is an organic chemical that is commonly used in biochemistry and molecular biology as a buffer solution. Tris is an amine proton acceptor and a white crystalline powder. It is employed in the pharmaceutical sector as an emulsifying agent in the production of cosmetic creams, lotions, paraffin wax, and mineral oil, and it is also utilized in the synthesis of surface-active compounds.

In solution, tris also forms compounds with metal ions. In medicine, tromethamine is occasionally used as a medication, usually in intensive care to treat severe metabolic acidosis. Some drugs, such as hemabate (carboprost as trometamol salt) and “ketorolac trometamol,” are designed as “tromethamine salts.”

Preparation of Tris

Industrially, tris is produced by exhaustive condensation of nitromethane with formaldehyde under basic circumstances (i.e. multiple Henry reactions) to provide the intermediate (HOCH₂)₃CNO₂, which is then hydrogenated to yield the final product.

Structure of Tris

It is the main amino molecule – tert-butylamine – in which each methyl group has one hydrogen removed and replaced by a hydroxy group. The image below depicts the structural depiction of Tris. 

Properties of Tris 

• The Chemical formula used for Tris is C₄H₁₁NO₃.
• The Molecular weight is 121.136 g/mol
• It is having a density of 1.328g/cm³
• Other related Chemical names for Tris are: Tris base, Tris buffer, Trizma, Trisamine, THAM, Tromethamine, Trometamol, Tromethane, Trisaminol
• It is having an acidity of 8.07 pKa
• The melting point for Tris is  >175-176 °C
• The boiling point for Tris is  219 °C

Uses of Tris

1. Tris is also employed as a primary standard in chemical analysis to standardize acid solutions.
2. Tris is often used to make cell membranes more permeable.
3. It is a constituent of the Modern COVID-19 vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11.
4. In the treatment of metabolic acidosis, tris is utilized instead of sodium bicarbonate.
5. It is employed in the pharmaceutical sector as an emulsifying agent in the production of cosmetic creams, lotions, paraffin wax, and mineral oil, and it is also utilized in the synthesis of surface-active compounds.
6. Used as a component of buffer solutions like TAE and TBE buffers, particularly for nucleic acid solutions.
7. Tromethamine solution has been proven to be most effective in treating metabolic acidosis, which can occur during or immediately after cardiac bypass surgery.

Sample Questions

Question 1: What is the Chemical formula for Tris buffer?

Answer:

The Chemical formula used for Tris is C₄H₁₁NO₃.

Question 2: What is TRIS and where it is used for?

Answer: 

Tris (hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, sometimes known as tromethamine or THAM in medicinal settings, is a chemical molecule with the formula (HOCH₂)₃CNH₂. It’s widely utilized in biochemistry and molecular biology as a component of buffer solutions like TAE and TBE buffers, particularly for nucleic acid solutions. It is employed in the pharmaceutical sector as an emulsifying agent in the production of cosmetic creams, lotions, paraffin wax, and mineral oil, and it is also utilized in the synthesis of surface-active compounds.

Question 3: What is Buffer inhibition for Tris?

Answer:

Because tris inhibits a variety of enzymes, it should be used with caution while investigating proteins. Tris can also stop enzymes from working by chelating metal ions.

Question 4: What are the medicinal uses of Tris?

Answer:

Tris is used to make cell membranes more permeable. It is included in the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 5 to 11. In the treatment of metabolic acidosis, tris (also known as THAM) is used as an alternative to sodium bicarbonate.

Question 5: List at least five common buffers used in biology.

Answer:

Here is the list of the common buffers used in biology are:

• TAPS ([tris(hydroxymethyl)methylamino]propanesulfonic acid),
• Bicine (2-(bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino)acetic acid),
• Tris (tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, or 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol), and 
• Cacodylate (dimethylarsenic acid).