Hydroxycarboxylic acid
Hydroxycarboxylic acids are carboxylic acids containing one or more hydroxy (alcohol) functional groups. They are of particular interest because several are bioactive and some are useful precursors to polyesters. The inventory is large.[1]
Important or common examples
[edit]- Glycolic acid, HOCH2CO2H, the parent hydroxycarboxylic acid, precursor to laquers
- Hydroxypropionic acids, e.g., CH3CH(OH)CO2H (lactic acid), component of milk. chiral
- Hydroxybutyric acids, CH3CH(OH)CH2CO2H (beta-Hydroxybutyric acid), carbon-storage compound
- Citric acid, HO2CC(OH)(CH2CO2H)2, energy-carrying compound and iron-chelator
- Salicylic acid, 2−HOC6H4CO2H, precursor to aspirin
- Ricinoleic acid (12-hydroxy-9-cis-octadecenoic acid)), a major component of the seed oil obtained from castor plant
- Common amino acids:
- Aldonic acids are sugar acids with the general chemical formula, HO2C(CHOH)nCH2OH.
- Gluconic acid, a particularly common aldonic acid, the oxidized derivative of glucose
Subclasses
[edit]Classes of hydroxycarboxylic acid are named by where the hydroxy group is on the carbon chain relative to the carboxylic group.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Miltenberger, Karlheinz (2000). "Hydroxycarboxylic Acids, Aliphatic". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a13_507. ISBN 3527306730.