2917.13.00 - Azelaic acid, sebacic acid, their salts and esters

This HTS category, 2917.13.00, specifically covers azelaic acid and sebacic acid, along with their various salts and esters. These are organic compounds characterized by having two carboxylic acid groups positioned at opposite ends of a carbon chain. Azelaic acid is a nine-carbon dicarboxylic acid, while sebacic acid is a ten-carbon dicarboxylic acid. Their salts are formed when the acidic hydrogen atoms are replaced by metal ions, and esters are created through reactions with alcohols. These acids and their derivatives find broad applications in the production of polymers, lubricants, plasticizers, and cosmetics.

It is important to distinguish this classification from its siblings. For instance, 2917.11.00.00 pertains to oxalic acid, a simpler dicarboxylic acid with only two carbon atoms. Similarly, 2917.12 covers adipic acid, which has six carbon atoms in its chain. Maleic anhydride (2917.14) is an unsaturated cyclic dicarboxylic acid derivative. This category, 2917.13.00, is reserved solely for the specified linear, saturated dicarboxylic acids with longer carbon chains (nine and ten carbons, respectively) and their related compounds.

Within this heading, further distinctions are made at the subheading level. Subheading 2917.13.00.30 is dedicated specifically to sebacic acid and its derivatives, recognizing its distinct commercial significance and uses. The remaining entries under 2917.13.00.90 encompass all other salts and esters of azelaic acid, as well as any other acyclic polycarboxylic acids and their derivatives that fall within the parent scope but are not specifically enumerated in other subheadings.