2905.42.00.00 - Pentaerythritol

This classification covers pentaerythritol, a synthetic polyhydric alcohol. Pentaerythritol is characterized by having four primary hydroxyl (-OH) groups attached to a central quaternary carbon atom, giving it a unique structure and high degree of functionality. It is primarily used as a building block in the production of alkyd resins for paints and coatings, as well as in the manufacture of plasticizers, lubricants, and explosives.

Pentaerythritol is distinguished from its sibling categories by its specific molecular structure and applications. For instance, 2-Ethyl-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol (Trimethylolpropane), also a tetra-functional alcohol, has a different carbon skeleton. Mannitol and D-Glucitol (Sorbitol) are hexitols, a class of sugar alcohols, with a linear six-carbon chain and six hydroxyl groups, and are typically used as sweeteners and humectants. Glycerol, another polyhydric alcohol at this level, is a triol with three hydroxyl groups.

As pentaerythritol represents a leaf node in the HTS, there are no further subdivisions under this code. Classification is determined by the precise chemical identity of the substance, with pentaerythritol being definitively identified by its four hydroxyl groups and the symmetrical arrangement around the central carbon atom.