Disclosed are compositions of matter comprising: an adipic acid product of formula (1), wherein R is independently a salt-forming ion, hydrogen, hydrocarbyl, or substituted hydrocarbyl; and at least one constituent selected from the group consisting of the following components: formula (2), wherein R is as defined above and each of R1 is, independently, H, OH, acyloxy or substituted acyloxy provided, however, that at least one of R1 is OH; and formula (3), wherein R is as above defined, and R1 is OH, acyloxy or substituted acyloxy. Also disclosed are compositions of matter comprising at leastabout 99 wt% adipic acid and least two constituents selected from the group consisting of above formula (2) and formula (3).