Homocitric acid is an

organic compound Some chemical authorities define an organic compound as a chemical compound that contains a carbon–hydrogen or carbon–carbon bond; others consider an organic compound to be any chemical compound that contains carbon. For example, carbon-co ...

with the formula HOC(CO₂H)(CH₂CO₂H)(C₂H₄CO₂H). This

tricarboxylic acid A tricarboxylic acid is an organic carboxylic acid that contain three carboxyl functional groups (−COOH). A well-known example is citric acid. Promient examples Some prominent substituted tricarboxylic acids Citric acid, is used in the c ...

occurs naturally as a component of the iron-molybdenum cofactor of certain

nitrogenase Nitrogenases are enzymes () that are produced by certain bacteria, such as cyanobacteria (blue-green bacteria) and rhizobacteria. These enzymes are responsible for the reduction of nitrogen (N2) to ammonia (NH3). Nitrogenases are the only fa ...

proteins. Biochemists often refer to this cofactor as homocitrate, which is the conjugate bases that predominate in neutral aqueous solutions of this species. The molecule is related to

citric acid Citric acid is an organic compound with the formula . It is a Transparency and translucency, colorless Weak acid, weak organic acid. It occurs naturally in Citrus, citrus fruits. In biochemistry, it is an intermediate in the citric acid cycle, ...

by the addition of one methylene unit, hence the prefix "homo." Unlike citric acid, homocitric acid is

chiral Chirality () is a property of asymmetry important in several branches of science. The word ''chirality'' is derived from the Greek language, Greek (''kheir''), "hand", a familiar chiral object. An object or a system is ''chiral'' if it is dist ...

. The acid exists in equilibrium with the

lactone Lactones are cyclic carboxylic esters. They are derived from the corresponding hydroxycarboxylic acids by esterification. They can be saturated or unsaturated. Lactones are formed by lactonization, the intramolecular esterification of the corresp ...

. :

References

Alpha hydroxy acids Chelating agents Tricarboxylic acids {{acid-stub

See also

References