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CBCa

C22H30O4 acid form non-psychoactive

CBCa is the raw, non-intoxicating acid form of CBC. Heat removes one CO2 and turns CBCa into CBC, which is why labs report Total CBC = CBC + 0.877 × CBCa.

Type
non-psychoactive
Formula
C22H30O4
Becomes
CBC × 0.877
Also known as
Cannabichromenic acid
Heat slider

Turn CBCa into CBC with heat

Raw flower holds CBCa, the acid form. Drag the heat up: past 220 °F the COOH group leaves as CO2 and what stays behind is CBC.

Schematic molecule: a ring carrying a COOH tag. With heat the tag leaves as a CO2 bubble and CBCa becomes CBC. COOH H CO2 CBCa CBC

70 °F: raw, the acid still carries its COOH group

1% CBCa × 0.877 = 0.88% CBC, plus 0.1% CBC already there, equals 0.98% Total CBC.

Worked example. 1% CBCa × 0.877 = 0.88% CBC, plus 0.1% CBC already there, equals 0.98% Total CBC. Example numbers, for illustration only. The 0.877 is the molar-mass ratio of CBC to CBCa: the CO2 that leaves weighs about 12.3% of the acid.

What is CBCa?

The raw acidic form of CBC, and one of the most abundant compounds in a living plant. Like the other acids it carries no intoxication of its own and converts to CBC as the flower is dried, cured or heated, which is why a lab panel on fresh material reads high in CBCa and low in CBC.

Commonly associated effects

CBCa is commonly associated with the following qualities. These reflect general research and community reports, not guaranteed or medical outcomes.

Non-intoxicatingAntibacterial

Frequently asked questions

What is CBCa?
The raw acidic form of CBC, and one of the most abundant compounds in a living plant. Like the other acids it carries no intoxication of its own and converts to CBC as the flower is dried, cured or heated, which is why a lab panel on fresh material reads high in CBCa and low in CBC.
How much CBC does CBCa become when heated?
Heat removes one CO2 from CBCa, and that CO2 is about 12.3% of its mass, so 1 gram of CBCa becomes about 0.877 grams of CBC. Labs fold this into one line: Total CBC = CBC + 0.877 × CBCa.
Is CBCa psychoactive?
CBCa is generally considered non-psychoactive, meaning it is not known to produce the intoxicating high associated with THC.
What effects is CBCa associated with?
CBCa is commonly associated with non-intoxicating, antibacterial qualities. These are general associations from ongoing research, not guaranteed or medical effects.
What is CBCa also known as?
CBCa is also referred to as Cannabichromenic acid.

Other cannabinoids

Where CBCa sits in the Heat Row: acids on top, the forms heat makes below, then the rest.

THCa THC
CBDa CBD
CBGa CBG
CBCa CBC
CBN THCV Δ8-THC CBDV CBL

Educational information only, not medical advice. Terpene and cannabinoid effects are an active area of research and vary by person, product, and dose. Cannabis is for adults 21+ where legal.

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