Keto acid

Pyruvic acid

Acetoacetic acid

Levulinic acid

Keto acids are organic acids containing a ketone functional group and a carboxylic acid group.

Common types of keto acids include:

• Alpha-keto acid, or 2-oxo acids, such as pyruvic acid have the keto group adjacent to the carboxylic acid
• Beta-keto acids, or 3-oxo acids, such as acetoacetic acid have the ketone group at the second carbon from the carboxylic acid
• Gamma-keto acids, or 4-oxo acids, such as levulinic acid have the ketone group at the third carbon from the carboxylic acid

An amino acid can be deaminated in the liver, producing an alpha keto acid. Alpha keto acids are primarily used as energy for liver cells and in fatty acid synthesis, also in the liver.

Under starvation conditions, catabolysis is the primary means of energy production, whereby fats and proteins are converted to glucose. In this situation, proteins are converted to amino acids, which are then converted in the liver to alpha keto acids. The alpha keto acids are then converted by the liver to glucose in a process called gluconeogenesis.

See also

• Ulosonic acids

External links

• MeSH Keto+Acids

This organic chemistry article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e