Tricarboxylic acid explained

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

See main article: 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
	2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid	C6H8O7
	1-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid	C6H8O7
	prop-1-ene-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid	C6H6O6	(cis-form and trans-form)
	propane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid	C3H5(COOH)3
	2-hydroxynonadecane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid	C22H40O7
	benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid	C9H6O6

See also

• Citric acid cycle (tricarboxylic acid cycle)
• Dicarboxylic acid
• Mellitic acid

Literature

• The Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle, an Ancient Metabolic Network with a Novel Twist. . Ryan J. Mailloux, Robin Bériault, Joseph Lemire, Ranji Singh, Daniel R. Chénier, Robert D. Hamel, Vasu D. Appanna . 2007 . PLOS ONE . 2 . 8 . e690 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0000690 . 17668068 . 1930152 . 2007PLoSO...2..690M . free.