Hydroxybutyric acid
Skeletal formula of α-hydroxybutyric acid
Skeletal formula of β-hydroxybutyric acid
Skeletal formula of γ-hydroxybutyric acid
Hydroxybutyric acid is a group of four-carbon organic compounds that have both hydroxyl and carboxylic acid functional groups. They can be viewed as derivatives of butyric acid. The carboxylate anion and the esters of hydroxybutyric acids are known as hydroxybutyrates.
There are three isomers, distinguished by the distance between the two functional groups:
- alpha-Hydroxybutyric acid (2-hydroxybutyric acid)
- beta-Hydroxybutyric acid (3-hydroxybutyric acid)
- gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (4-hydroxybutyric acid, GHB)
Skeletal formula of butyric acid with the alpha, beta, and gamma carbons marked
See also
External links
- Hydroxybutyrates at the US National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
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