Ammonium, Potassium and Lithium Salts of D, L-Glyceric Acid

The crystal structures of the ammonium, potassium and lithium salts of racemic glyceric acid (ammonium glycerate NH₄⁺C₃H₅O₄⁻, potassium glycerate K⁺C₃H₅O₄⁻, lithium glycerate Li⁺C₃H₅O₄⁻) have been determined by X-ray analysis. The crystals of potassium and ammonium salts are isomorphous. The α-hydroxy oxygen atom lies almost in the plane of the carboxylate group in all three structures. There are networks of hydrogen bonds in all three crystals in which all the H atoms of the hydroxyl groups and the N-bonded H atoms in the ammonium salt are involved.

-1