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The Daily Insight

Is 2 hydroxy butanoic acid chiral?

Author

Matthew Wilson

Updated on April 22, 2026

2-Hydroxybutyric acid, also known as alpha-hydroxybutyrate and α-hydroxybutyrate, is a hydroxybutyric acid with the hydroxyl group on the carbon adjacent to the carboxyl. It is a chiral compound having two enantiomers, D-2-hydroxybutyric acid and L-2-hydroxybutyric acid.

What is the structure of 4 Hydroxybutanoic acid?

(3R)-3-Amino-4-hydroxybutanoic acid

PubChem CID1502076
StructureFind Similar Structures
Molecular FormulaC4H9NO3
SynonymsL-beta-Homoserine 16504-56-6 (R)-3-Amino-4-hydroxybutanoic acid (3R)-3-amino-4-hydroxybutanoic acid H-L-beta-HSer-OH More…
Molecular Weight119.12

What is the structure of 2 Hydroxybutanoic acid?

C4H8O3
2-Hydroxybutyric acid/Formula

Is 2 Hydroxybutanoic acid optically active?

(R)-2-Hydroxybutanoic acid (R)-2-hydroxybutyric acid is an optically active form of 2-hydroxybutyric acid having (R)-configuration. It is an enantiomer of a (S)-2-hydroxybutyric acid.

What is the common name for 3 Hydroxybutanoic acid?

β-Hydroxybutyric acid
β-Hydroxybutyric acid, also known as 3-hydroxybutyric acid or BHB, is an organic compound and a beta hydroxy acid with the chemical formula CH3CH(OH)CH2CO2H; its conjugate base is β-hydroxybutyrate, also known as 3-hydroxybutyrate.

What is the pKa of butanoic acid?

4.82
Structure for FDB012062 (Butanoic acid)

PropertyValueReference
Densityd204 0.96DFC
Experimental logP0.79HANSCH,C ET AL. (1995)
Experimental pKapKa 4.82 (25°)DFC
Experimental Water Solubility60 mg/mL at 25 oCHEMPHILL,L & SWANSON,WS (1964)

What is the formula for GHB?

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate/Formula
GHB has the molecular formula C4H8O3 and the molecular weight 104.10 g/mol. It is a powdered substance and is generally dissolved in a liquid.

What is the structure of 3 Hydroxybutanoic acid?

beta-Hydroxybutyric acid/Formula

What compound is butanoic acid?

Butanoic acid
Butyric acid/IUPAC ID

What is the structure of butanoic acid?

Butanoic acid Structure – C 4 H 8 O 2 Physical Properties of Butanoic acid – C 4 H 8 O 2 Chemical Properties of Butanoic acid – C 4 H 8 O 2 Butanoic acid reacts with sodium hydroxide forms sodium salt of butanoic acid and carbon dioxide and water.

What happens when butanoic acid reacts with NaOH?

Chemical Properties of Butanoic acid – C 4 H 8 O 2 Butanoic acid reacts with sodium hydroxide forms sodium salt of butanoic acid and carbon dioxide and water. 21C4H8O2 + 20NaOH → 20 NaC4H6O + 4CO2 + 34H2O Butanoic acid on treatment with water forms acetic acid and ether.

How many isomers of hydroxybutyric acid are there?

There are three isomers, distinguished by the distance between the two functional groups: alpha-Hydroxybutyric acid (2-hydroxybutyric acid) beta-Hydroxybutyric acid (3-hydroxybutyric acid) gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (4-hydroxybutyric acid, GHB)

How do you make butanoic acid?

It is also called butyric acid which means the acid of butter as it was first discovered in rancid butter. It was prepared by the butyric fermentation of carbohydrates and by the oxidation of n-butyl alcohol. Miscible in water and ethanol. Butanoic acid reacts with sodium hydroxide forms sodium salt of butanoic acid and carbon dioxide and water.