It is a laboratory reagent used in the chemical synthesis of atropine and hyoscyamine.

Tropic acid is a chiral substance, existing as either a racemic mixture or as a single enantiomer.

In this method, the dianion of the acid is formed using a Grignard reagent, isopropyl magnesium chloride, and this reacts with the aldehyde to form the magnesium salt of the product, from which the pure acid is obtained after acidification with sulfuric acid.

[1] Many other methods have been used to make tropic acid, for example starting from acetophenone (1).

[2] Tropic acid is used in the chemical synthesis of atropine and hyoscyamine.