α-ketobutyric acid α-ketobutyric acid 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. α-ketobutyric acid names preferred iupac name 2-oxobutanoic acid identifiers cas number 600-18-0 y 3d model (jsmol) interactive image chebi chebi:30831 y chembl chembl171246 y chemspider 57 y drugbank db04553 y echa infocard 100.009.080 ec number 209-986-9 kegg c00109 y mesh alpha-ketobutyric+acid pubchem cid 58 unii b92rb6hy1a y comptox dashboard (epa) dtxsid9060524 inchi inchi=1s/c4h6o3/c1-2-3(5)4(6)7/h2h2,1h3,(h,6,7) ykey: tyeybosbbbhjiv-uhfffaoysa-n yinchi=1/c4h6o3/c1-2-3(5)4(6)7/h2h2,1h3,(h,6,7)key: tyeybosbbbhjiv-uhfffaoyat smiles o=c(c(=o)o)cc properties chemical formula c4h6o3 molar mass 102.089 g/mol appearance colorless solid melting point 33 °c (91 °f; 306 k) except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °c , 100 kpa). y verify (what is yn ?) infobox references 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.