Crotonic acid

Crotonic acid, or trans-2-butenoic acid, is a short-chain unsaturated carboxylic acid, described by the formula CH₃CH=CHCO₂H. Crotonic acid is so named because it was erroneously thought to be a saponification product of croton oil. It crystallizes as needles from hot water.

Racemic threonine can be prepared from crotonic acid by alpha-functionalization using mercury(II) acetate.

See also

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.