Tag: Malonic acid

Malonic acid is a naturally occurring dicarboxylic acid found in many fruits and vegetables, though its presence is often overlooked. The calcium salt of malonic acid, for instance, is known to occur in high concentrations in beetroot.

Chemically, malonic acid, a dicarboxylic acid with the formula $C_3H_4O_4$, is well-known in biochemistry as a powerful competitive inhibitor of the enzyme succinate dehydrogenase, impacting cellular respiration. However, its functions extend far beyond this enzymatic role into widespread and diverse industrial and biological applications.

First prepared in 1858 by French chemist Victor Dessaignes, malonic acid has several alternative names. While widely known by its common name, its IUPAC and other descriptive names reveal deeper insights into its chemical structure and properties. The most important another name for malonic acid is propanedioic acid, but it is also known by other chemical identifiers.