Description
2-[(1R,6R)-3-methyl-6-(prop-1-en-2-yl)cyclohex-2-en-1-yl]-5-pentylbenzene-1,3-diol, crystals, 1000 mg pack. Material intended exclusively for laboratory and analytical in vitro research. The product is not intended for human or animal consumption; it is not a medicinal product, food supplement, foodstuff or cosmetic.
Three distinct entities that must not be confused
Cannabidiol is an example of a molecule for which confusing the layers has a particularly long media history. The same chemical name functions simultaneously as a constituent of a plant raw material, the active substance of a registered medicine and a laboratory material — three contexts with entirely different legal statuses:
| Entity | What it is | What it concerns |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical substance cannabidiol, CAS 13956-29-1 |
A chemical concept — a molecule of defined structure and absolute configuration (1R,6R). In itself it is neither a drug nor a reagent; its status is conferred only by the form in which it has been manufactured and authorised. | chemistry, substance registries |
| Medicinal product Epidiolex (cannabidiol) |
A pharmaceutical preparation in the form of an oral solution: defined strength, manufacture under a GMP regime, registration dossier, safety surveillance. Registered by the FDA (2018) and EMA (2019) for the treatment of seizures in Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome; the indication was extended to tuberous sclerosis complex in subsequent years (FDA 2020, EMA 2021). | randomised clinical trials in humans concerned this entity |
| Chemical reagent the material offered here |
Material for laboratory and analytical work, crystals of purity ≥ 94.21%. It does not have, and cannot have, authorisation for use in humans or animals — it has no pharmaceutical form and no medicinal product documentation. | analytics, chemistry, reference standards |
The consequence is unambiguous. The research findings cited further on this page come either from clinical trials conducted using the registered medicinal product described in the table above (an oral solution of defined strength), or from biochemical and analytical studies of the molecule itself or of its biosynthesis in the plant. None of these studies was conducted using an analytical reagent, and none of these findings carries over to the material offered. The declared purity of ≥ 94.21% means that the remaining fraction (up to approx. 5.79%) may include other compounds accompanying the isolation process; the composition of the batch, including the possible presence of trace amounts of other cannabinoids, is confirmed by the certificate of analysis (CoA) issued for the specific delivery.
Reagent identification sheet
| Systematic name (IUPAC) | 2-[(1R,6R)-3-methyl-6-(prop-1-en-2-yl)cyclohex-2-en-1-yl]-5-pentylbenzene-1,3-diol |
|---|---|
| Common name | cannabidiol (CBD) |
| CAS number | 13956-29-1 |
| Molecular formula | C21H30O2 |
| Molar mass | 314.5 g·mol−1 |
| Monoisotopic mass | 314.2246 Da |
| InChIKey | QHMBSVQNZZTUGM-ZWKOTPCHSA-N |
| SMILES | CCCCCC1=CC(=C(C(=C1)O)[C@@H]2C=C(CC[C@H]2C(=C)C)C)O |
| PubChem CID | 644019 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL3948794 |
| GHS classification (per PubChem) | pictograms GHS07, GHS08; hazard statement H361 (suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child); precautionary statement P203; signal word: Warning |
| Form | crystals |
| Purity | ≥ 94.21% |
| Intended use | research reagent — not for human or animal consumption |
Lineage of the molecule: from cannabis resin to a defined crystalline molecule
Cannabidiol belongs to the family of phytocannabinoids — terpenophenolic secondary metabolites produced in nature almost exclusively by Cannabis sativa L. The molecule was first isolated from plant resin in 1940, but without its full spatial structure being established. The correct structure and absolute configuration (1R,6R) were established only by Raphael Mechoulam and Yechiel Shvo in a paper published in 1963 [1], and two years later the same team described the isolation and structure of the related acids — cannabinolic, cannabidiolic and cannabigerolic — from the same raw material [2].
Biosynthesis: why cannabidiol is not a random by-product
In the plant, cannabidiol is formed in several steps. Polyketide condensation yields olivetolic acid — a compound which, in isolated form, we offer separately as olivetol and which is the aromatic precursor both in plant biosynthesis and in the classical chemical synthesis of this family of molecules. A prenyltransferase couples it with geranyl pyrophosphate, giving cannabigerolic acid (CBGA). The key step — the oxidative cyclisation of CBGA to cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) — is catalysed by the enzyme CBDA synthase, purified and biochemically characterised by Taura’s team [3]. Cannabidiol itself is formed only at the end of this pathway, through non-catalysed decarboxylation of CBDA under the influence of heat or prolonged storage.
Chemotype: the same plant, two different enzymatic pathways
Whether a given cannabis variety accumulates mainly CBDA or mainly tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) depends on which variant of the synthase gene dominates in the plant — both synthases derive from a common enzymatic precursor and compete for the same substrate, CBGA. The 2007 paper by Taura and co-workers describes CBDA synthase as the chemotype-determining enzyme in fibre-type cannabis [4]. This distinction has direct regulatory significance: industrial varieties approved for cultivation in the EU are selected precisely for a CBDA-dominated chemotype with a low THCA content.
Timeline
| 1940 | isolation of cannabidiol from cannabis resin (Adams), without establishment of the full spatial structure |
|---|---|
| 1963 | establishment of the correct structure and absolute configuration by Mechoulam and Shvo [1] |
| 1965 | isolation and structure of the related cannabinoid acids from the same raw material [2] |
| 1976 | first total chemical synthesis of cannabidiol and Δ1-THC metabolites [5]; in parallel, a publication on the stability of cannabis and its preparations on storage [6] |
| 1996 | purification and biochemical characterisation of CBDA synthase — the enzyme converting CBGA into CBDA [3] |
| 2007 | description of CBDA synthase as the enzyme determining the chemotype of fibre-type cannabis [4] |
| 2017–2018 | randomised clinical trials of cannabidiol oral solution in Dravet syndrome [7] and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome [8], leading to registration of the medicinal product by the FDA (2018) and EMA (2019) |
| 2022 | stability and degradation studies: a stability-indicating HPLC-DAD method [9] and characterisation of degradation in an e-liquid formulation [10] |
| 2024 | flow synthesis (batch and continuous flow) as a modern alternative to classical synthesis [11]; a validated HPLC-DAD method for the simultaneous determination of four cannabinoids [12] |
| 2025 | NMR reference data for synthetic cannabinoids sold online — a tool for distinguishing authentic from counterfeit material [13] |
The centres that built the knowledge of cannabidiol
Unlike many compounds in our catalogue, the literature on cannabidiol is not concentrated in one or two centres but is spread across several specialised lines of work:
- Weizmann Institute, Rehovot (Israel). The parent centre — the source of the establishment of the structure and absolute configuration of the molecule [1] and of the isolation of the family of related cannabinoid acids [2].
- Kumamoto University (Japan). Taura’s team studied the biochemistry of the enzyme responsible for the formation of CBDA in the plant, from purification of the protein [3] to its role in determining the cannabis chemotype [4].
- Sponsored multicentre clinical trials of the registered oral solution. Randomised, placebo-controlled trials in Dravet syndrome [7] and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome [8] concern exclusively the registered medicinal product, not the analytical material.
- Forensic toxicology and pharmaceutical analysis laboratories. They develop methods for determining cannabinoids in biological matrices [14] as well as stability and validation methods [9][12].
Chemistry: two stereogenic centres and free phenolic groups
Why cannabidiol is not a symmetrical molecule
The cyclohexene ring of the molecule bears two stereogenic centres, at positions 1 and 6, with the (1R,6R) configuration in the natural form. This distinguishes cannabidiol from many compounds in our catalogue, which have a single chirality centre (like the sulfur in modafinil) or lack one altogether (like the symmetrical adamantane cage in bromantane). The material should be treated as a derivative of defined absolute configuration unless the batch declaration states otherwise; confirming the identity of the enantiomer requires a chiral method, because molecular mass alone does not distinguish diastereoisomers.
The resorcinol core: reactivity and consequences for storage
The benzene core bears two free hydroxyl groups in a resorcinol arrangement (1,3-diol) — hence the two hydrogen bond donors in the identification sheet. The same phenolic reactivity underlies the acid-catalysed cyclisation, well documented in the chemistry of this family, in which cannabidiol is converted into derivatives with a closed pyran ring, structurally close to tetrahydrocannabinol — a phenomenon already described in the classic 1977 paper on the pyrolysis of cannabidiol [15]. This is a chemical reaction occurring in a strongly acidic medium or under the influence of high temperature — not a process occurring spontaneously under the storage conditions of the reagent, as shown both by the paper on the stability of cannabis preparations from the same year [6] and by the more recent characterisation of degradation in an e-liquid formulation [10]. A separate question, raised in the clinical literature, is whether an analogous conversion occurs in vivo after oral administration of the medicinal product — the 2017 paper by Nahler and co-workers indicates that no such conversion was observed in humans [16]. Purity validation methods should be stability-indicating [9]; for detailed storage guidance, see the section below.
Physicochemical characteristics
| Parameter | Value | What follows from it |
|---|---|---|
| Partition coefficient (XLogP) | ≈ 6.5 | high lipophilicity — elutes late in RP-HPLC, negligible solubility in water |
| Topological polar surface area (TPSA) | 40.5 Å2 | moderate — two hydroxyl groups, no strongly polar groups |
| Hydrogen bond donors | 2 | the two phenolic groups of the resorcinol core |
| Hydrogen bond acceptors | 2 | both oxygen atoms of the hydroxyl groups |
| Rotatable bonds | 6 | pentyl chain and inter-ring linkage — a conformationally flexible molecule |
| Solubility | good in ethanol, methanol, chloroform and DMSO; negligible in water | prepare stock solutions in an organic solvent |
Nomenclature and synonyms
The following terms denote the same molecule with CAS number 13956-29-1:
- Kannabidiol — the Polonised form, most common in the Polish literature;
- Cannabidiol — the English form, used in international databases;
- CBD — an abbreviation commonly used in commercial and scientific nomenclature;
- (-)-Cannabidiol / (-)-trans-Cannabidiol — notation indicating the naturally occurring enantiomer with the (1R,6R) configuration;
- cannabidiolum — the Latin form used in some pharmacopoeial registers;
- 2-[(1R,6R)-3-methyl-6-(prop-1-en-2-yl)cyclohex-2-en-1-yl]-5-pentylbenzene-1,3-diol — the systematic IUPAC name, the only unambiguous one.
A separate group consists of development codes and trade names associated exclusively with registered pharmaceutical products — we discuss them only in the “Three distinct entities” section above, as regulatory context, and not as synonyms of the reagent offered.
Laboratory applications of the reagent
The material — not for consumption — is used solely as a standard and substrate in analytical and research work:
- reference material for confirmation of identity and purity by HPLC-DAD/UV, including methods validated for the simultaneous determination of several cannabinoids [12];
- standard in stability-indicating methods, useful in studying degradation kinetics [9];
- reference material in 1H/13C NMR spectroscopy, useful in distinguishing authentic material from synthetic analogues sold outside legal trade [13];
- comparison standard in forensic toxicology and clinical analysis for the identification of cannabinoids in biological matrices [14];
- model substance in research on cannabis biosynthesis and chemotype, including enzymatic studies of CBDA synthase [3][4];
- model compound in research on the chemistry of resorcinols and terpenophenolic derivatives.
Storage, handling and occupational safety
Store in the original, tightly closed container, in a dry and cool place, protected from light, separately from food and feed and out of the reach of children. Owing to the documented reactivity of the phenolic core in a strongly acidic medium and under the influence of high temperature [15], avoid contact with strong acids and prolonged heat exposure. Work only under laboratory conditions, using personal protective equipment: gloves, safety glasses and laboratory clothing; weigh the crystals under conditions that limit dust formation. According to the GHS classification published by PubChem, the substance carries hazard statement H361 (suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child) — this applies in particular to persons planning a pregnancy or who are pregnant and working with the material. Avoid inhaling dust and contact with skin and eyes. Dispose of waste in accordance with the regulations applicable to chemical waste at the place where the research is conducted.
Regulatory status
Cannabidiol as a pure chemical substance does not appear on the lists of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances annexed to the Polish Act on Counteracting Drug Addiction — unlike Δ9-THC. At EU level, cannabidiol intended for consumption (as a food ingredient) is separately subject to the Novel Food procedure, which requires authorisation before being placed on the market as a foodstuff — this offer does not concern food use or that procedure. The substance is at the same time the active substance of the medicinal product described in the “Three distinct entities” section (FDA registration 2018, EMA 2019) — that registration concerns only that specific pharmaceutical preparation, of defined form and strength, and confers no medicinal product status on the reagent offered here. The material offered is a chemical reagent and has no approval for any use in humans or animals. The legal status of substances of this type may be subject to legislative changes — the purchaser is responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with the law in force in the country of destination.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does cannabidiol differ from THC?
The difference is structural: cannabidiol has an open chain with two free phenolic groups (resorcinol core), whereas in THC the corresponding fragment forms a closed pyran ring. This structural difference underlies the different chromatographic behaviour of the two compounds as well as their different legal status — cannabidiol does not appear on the lists of controlled substances, THC does.
What are the chemical formula and molar mass of cannabidiol?
C21H30O2; molar mass 314.5 g·mol−1, monoisotopic mass 314.2246 Da. CAS number 13956-29-1, InChIKey QHMBSVQNZZTUGM-ZWKOTPCHSA-N.
Is cannabidiol the same as the registered drug based on it?
Not in the legal sense. The trade name of the registered medicinal product (see the “Three distinct entities” section above) denotes an oral solution of defined strength, manufactured under a GMP regime. Cannabidiol is the name of the active substance. The material offered here is a chemical reagent, not a medicinal product or a substitute for one.
Is the reagent suitable for applications other than laboratory use?
No. The material is intended exclusively for laboratory and analytical research — not for human or animal consumption; it is not a drug, food supplement, food or cosmetic, and it must not be used for medical, diagnostic or consumption purposes.
How should cannabidiol be stored as a laboratory reagent?
In the original, tightly closed container, in a dry and cool place, protected from light, away from strong acids and sources of heat, separately from food and feed and out of the reach of children.
What should cannabidiol be dissolved in to prepare a stock solution?
It dissolves well in ethanol, methanol, chloroform and DMSO, negligibly in water. Given XLogP ≈ 6.5, stock solutions are prepared exclusively in an organic solvent.
How is the purity of cannabidiol confirmed?
By HPLC-DAD/UV against a reference material, preferably using a stability-indicating method, so as to distinguish the signal of the parent substance from any degradation products.
Is a safety data sheet supplied with cannabidiol?
We make the safety data sheet available on request to recipients engaged in research or analytical activity.
Is cannabidiol legal in Poland?
As a pure chemical substance, cannabidiol does not appear on the lists of controlled substances of the Polish Act on Counteracting Drug Addiction. The material offered is a chemical reagent without approval for use in humans; the purchaser is responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with the law of the country of destination.
Why is cannabidiol sometimes synthesised from olivetol?
Olivetol is the aromatic precursor of this family of molecules — both in plant biosynthesis (after prenylation to CBGA) and in chemical laboratory synthesis, where it is condensed with a suitable terpene. We offer it separately as olivetol.
Does cannabidiol have stereogenic centres?
Yes, two — at positions 1 and 6 of the cyclohexene ring, with the (1R,6R) configuration in the natural form. Confirming the identity of the enantiomer requires a chiral method.
Can cannabidiol be converted into THC?
Chemically, yes — in a strongly acidic medium or under the influence of high temperature, the phenolic core undergoes cyclisation to derivatives with a closed pyran ring, a phenomenon documented as early as the 1970s. It is not a process that occurs spontaneously under proper storage conditions of the reagent.
What is a cannabidiol standard used for in an analytical laboratory?
For confirmation of identity and purity by HPLC-DAD/UV, as a reference material in NMR spectroscopy, as a comparison standard in forensic toxicology, and as a model substance in research on cannabis biosynthesis and chemotype.
References
The entries come from the PubMed database and concern the history, biosynthesis, chemistry and analytics of this molecule. Entries [1]–[6], [9]–[13] and [15] are chemical, biochemical and analytical papers; [7]–[8] are randomised clinical trials using the registered medicinal product, not the analytical reagent; [14] is a methodological paper in forensic toxicology; [16] addresses the question of in vivo conversion to THC in humans after administration of the medicinal product. None of these papers describes the use of the analytical reagent in humans or animals — they are cited as scientific context and as a bibliographic pointer, not as information about the properties of the material offered nor as an encouragement to any use.
- Mechoulam R, Shvo Y (1963). “Hashish. I. The structure of cannabidiol.” Tetrahedron. PMID 5879214. doi:10.1016/0040-4020(63)85022-x.
- Mechoulam R et al. (1965). “Hashish. IV. The isolation and structure of cannabinolic, cannabidiolic and cannabigerolic acids.” Tetrahedron. PMID 5879350. doi:10.1016/0040-4020(65)80064-3.
- Taura F et al. (1996). “Purification and characterization of cannabidiolic-acid synthase from Cannabis sativa L.” J Biol Chem. PMID 8663284. doi:10.1074/jbc.271.29.17411.
- Taura F et al. (2007). “Cannabidiolic-acid synthase, the chemotype-determining enzyme in the fiber-type Cannabis sativa.” FEBS Lett. PMID 17544411. doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2007.05.043.
- Lander N et al. (1976). “Total synthesis of cannabidiol and delta1-tetrahydrocannabinol metabolites.” J Chem Soc Perkin Trans 1. PMID 942726.
- Fairbairn JW et al. (1976). “The stability of cannabis and its preparations on storage.” J Pharm Pharmacol. PMID 6643. doi:10.1111/j.2042-7158.1976.tb04014.x.
- Devinsky O et al. (2017). “Trial of Cannabidiol for Drug-Resistant Seizures in the Dravet Syndrome.” N Engl J Med. PMID 28538134. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1611618.
- Devinsky O et al. (2018). “Effect of Cannabidiol on Drop Seizures in the Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome.” N Engl J Med. PMID 29768152. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1714631.
- de Souza MR et al. (2022). “DoE-assisted development and validation of a stability-indicating HPLC-DAD method for simultaneous determination of five cannabinoids in Cannabis sativa L.” Phytochem Anal. PMID 35733081. doi:10.1002/pca.3154.
- Schwarzenberg A et al. (2022). “Characterizing the degradation of cannabidiol in an e-liquid formulation.” Sci Rep. PMID 36414659. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-23910-6.
- Braga FC et al. (2024). “Batch and Continuous Flow Total Synthesis of Cannabidiol.” Chem Asian J. PMID 39039021. doi:10.1002/asia.202400689.
- Carona A et al. (2024). “Development and validation of an HPLC-DAD method for the quantification of cannabigerol, cannabidiol, cannabinol and cannabichromene in human plasma and mouse matrices.” The Analyst. PMID 38847584. doi:10.1039/d4an00070f.
- Hübner EM et al. (2025). “NMR Spectroscopic Reference Data of Synthetic Cannabinoids Sold on the Internet.” Magn Reson Chem. PMID 39743737. doi:10.1002/mrc.5498.
- Karschner EL et al. (2020). “Identifying and Quantifying Cannabinoids in Biological Matrices in the Medical and Legal Cannabis Era.” Clin Chem. PMID 32628766. doi:10.1093/clinchem/hvaa113.
- Spronck HJ et al. (1977). “Pyrolysis of cannabidiol. Structure elucidation of a major pyrolytic conversion product.” Experientia. PMID 891718. doi:10.1007/BF01944139.
- Nahler G et al. (2017). “A Conversion of Oral Cannabidiol to Delta9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Seems Not to Occur in Humans.” Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. PMID 28861507. doi:10.1089/can.2017.0009.
Identification data and computed descriptors from PubChem (CID 644019) and ChEMBL (CHEMBL3948794).
Related reagents in our catalogue
- Olivetol — the aromatic precursor of cannabidiol, both in plant biosynthesis and in the classical and flow chemical synthesis of this family of molecules
- Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) — another lipid molecule described in the context of the endocannabinoid system, but of an entirely different structure: a simple fatty acid amide, without a terpenophenolic ring
Statement of intended use
The material offered is a chemical reagent intended exclusively for research, analytical and laboratory purposes. Not intended for human or animal consumption. It is not a medicinal product, food supplement, foodstuff, medical device or cosmetic. It must not be used for medical, diagnostic, therapeutic, prophylactic or consumption purposes, administered to humans or animals, applied to the skin, or added to food, beverages or feed. Sold exclusively to recipients engaged in research, scientific or analytical activity who have laboratory facilities and the knowledge required to handle chemical reagents safely. The purchaser bears sole responsibility for the lawful and safe use of the reagent and for compliance with the regulations in force in the country of destination.
