Α-Ketobutyric acid
chemical compound
α-Ketobutyric acid is an organic compound with the formula CH3CH2C(O)CO2H. It is a colorless solid that melts just above room temperature. Its conjugate base α-ketobutyrate is the predominant form found in nature (near neutral pH). It results from the lysis of cystathionine. It is also one of the degradation products of threonine, produced by the catabolism of the amino acid by threonine dehydratase. It is also produced by the degradation of homocysteine and the metabolism of methionine.
It is a precursor to the commercial route to levetiracetam, an anti-epileptic drug, and homoalanine.
α-Ketobutyrate is transported into the mitochondrial matrix, where it is converted to propionyl-CoA by branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex. Further mitochondrial reactions produce succinyl-CoA. This is first through the enzyme mitochondria propionyl-CoA carboxylase with biotin as a cofactor to produce (S)-methylmalonyl-CoA. This is subsequently converted to (R)-methylmalonyl-CoA by mitochondrial methylmalonyl-CoA epimerase. Finally, mitochondrial methylmalonyl-CoA mutase with cofactor adenosylcobalamin produces succinyl-CoA which enters the citric acid cycle.
Conversion in sotolon in French vin jaune
Vin jaune is marked by the formation of sotolon from alpha-ketobutyric acid.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Α-Ketobutyric acid” as chemical compound. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as chemical compound. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Feb 26, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q209457. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
A general summary may omit uncertainty, sample limits or methodological disagreement that is explicit in the technical record. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Α-Ketobutyric acid”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Α-Ketobutyric acid primary sources, Α-Ketobutyric acid archive and Α-Ketobutyric research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Α-Ketobutyric acid”?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Α-Ketobutyric acid” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.