keto acid

chemistry

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June 30, 2026

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Keto acids are organic compounds that contain both a ketone functional group (a carbonyl group bonded to two carbon atoms) and a carboxylic acid functional group (a carbon atom double-bonded to one oxygen atom and single-bonded to a hydroxyl group).

The simplest and most important examples are alpha-keto acids, such as pyruvic acid, and beta-keto acids, such as acetoacetic acid. Pyruvic acid is a key intermediate in carbohydrate metabolism, formed from glucose and fructose. Acetoacetic acid and its derivatives are important in organic synthesis and are also involved in metabolism, particularly in conditions like diabetes. Keto acids play vital roles in various metabolic pathways within living organisms.12

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carboxylic acid
Hydroxy and keto acids
The 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-hydroxycarboxylic acids all lose water upon heating, although the products are not the same. The 2-hydroxy acids form cyclic dimeric esters (formed by the esterification of two molecules of the acid) called lactides, whereas the 3- and 4-hydroxy…
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The 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-hydroxycarboxylic acids all lose water upon heating, although the products are not the same. The 2-hydroxy acids form cyclic dimeric esters (formed by the esterification of two molecules of the acid) called lactides, whereas the 3- and 4-hydroxy…
Read More