The Hydroxybutyric acids form a group of four-carbon organic compounds that have both hydroxy 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. β-hydroxybutyric acid is relevant to human health as it is a member of a class of products of fatty acid oxidation referred to as ketone bodies. The isomers are distinguished by the distance between the two functional groups and the branching.
alpha-Hydroxybutyric acid (2-Hydroxybutyric acid) beta-Hydroxybutyric acid (3-Hydroxybutyric acid) gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (4-Hydroxybutyric acid, GHB) 2-Hydroxyisobutyric acid 3-Hydroxyisobutyric acid
See also beta-Hydroxy beta-methylbutyric acid Sodium oxybate
References
External links Hydroxybutyrates at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)