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.

Important or common examples

• 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:
  • Serine (2-amino-3-hydroxypropanoic acid), HOCH₂CH(NH₂)CO₂H
  • Threonine
  • Tyrosine, 4−HOC₆H₄CH₂CH(NH₂)CO₂H
• 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

Classes of hydroxycarboxylic acid are named by where the hydroxy group is on the carbon chain relative to the carboxylic group.

• Alpha hydroxy acid
• Beta hydroxy acid
• Omega hydroxy acid

See also

• Hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor