isophatalic

Isophatalic is a term that does not appear in standard dictionaries or major field-specific glossaries. In contemporary use, it is rarely encountered and may represent a misspelling or rare variant of other terms, most commonly isophthalic. The latter word denotes isophthalic acid, 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid, a diacid used widely in polymer chemistry and coatings.

When used in chemistry, "isophatalic" may be intended to refer to derivatives and polymers based on isophthalic acid. Isophthalic acid is employed as a co-monomer in the synthesis of polyesters, alkyd resins, and related materials. Copolymerization with diols can yield resins with altered properties such as improved flexibility, impact resistance, and chemical durability. Isophthalate esters also find use as plasticizers and crosslinking agents in various polymer systems. The exact properties depend on the comonomers and processing conditions.

Because "isophatalic" is not a standard term, readers should check spelling in the source material. If the reference is meant to discuss the chemistry of isophthalic derivatives, use "isophthalic" to avoid ambiguity. If the term was intended for a medical or ophthalmologic context, it may be a mis-spelling of another term such as "isophthalmic"—though that term is not widely used in modern literature.

See also: isophthalic acid; phthalic acids; polyesters; alkyd resins.