In human, 3-hydroxylbutyric acid (ß-Hydroxybutyric acid or 3-hydrobutanoic acid) is one of the two primary endogenous agonists of hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2), a Gi/o-coupled G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR).1 It can be used for synthesis of biodegradable polymer, polyhydroxybutyrate.2
H. Traussnig, E. Kloimstein, Extraktionsmittel für Poly-D(-)-3-hydroxybuttersäure, Patent EP0355307A2
3-Hydroxybutyric acid was used in enantioselective synthesis of D-(-)-3-hydroxybutyric acid by Escherichia coli.
ChEBI: 3-hydroxybutyric acid is a straight-chain 3-hydroxy monocarboxylic acid comprising a butyric acid core with a single hydroxy substituent in the 3- position; a ketone body whose levels are raised during ketosis, used as an energy source by the brain during fasting in humans. Also used to synthesise biodegradable plastics. It has a role as a human metabolite. It is a 3-hydroxy monocarboxylic acid, a hydroxybutyric acid and an (omega-1)-hydroxy fatty acid. It is functionally related to a butyric acid. It is a conjugate acid of a 3-hydroxybutyrate.
3-Hydroxybutyric acid forms films of random copolymer with (R)-3-hydroxypentanoic acid, (R)-3-hydroxyhexanoic acid, 4-hydroxybutyric acid, 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid and (S,S)-lactide by the melt-crystallized method. It is an important intermediate for the fine chemical industry.
