Tricarboxylic acid


A tricarboxylic acid is an organic carboxylic acid whose chemical structure contains three carboxyl functional groups (-COOH). The best-known example of a tricarboxylic acid is citric acid.

Uses

Citric acid cycle

Citric acid, a type of tricarboxylic acid, is used in the citric acid cycle – also known as tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle or Krebs cycle – which is fundamental to all aerobic organisms.

Examples

Common name IUPAC name Molecular formula Structural formula
Citric acid2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acidC6H8O7
Isocitric acid1-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acidC6H8O7
Aconitic acidProp-1-ene-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acidC6H6O6

(cis-form & trans-form)

Propane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acidPropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acidC3H5(COOH)3
Trimesic acidbenzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acidC9H6O6

See also

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