Boric Acid, a Lewis Acid With Unique and Unusual Properties: Formulation Implications

This review provides insight into the use of boric acid as a pharmaceutical, a buffer, and an adjuvant/excipient in pharmaceutical formulations. Boric acid is a Lewis acid with a pKa of 8.92–9.24 that is sensitive to temperature, ionic strength, and concentration. The pKa varies with concentration because of polymerization above 0.02 M. Boric acid reacts reversibly with alcohols, especially 1,2-diols including carbohydrates, with carboxylic...