3715-31-9

3-Methyl-2-oxovaleric Acid is an α-ketomonocarboxylic acid that triggers insulin release by acting upon receptor sites which differ from those occupied by amino acids. 4-Methyl-2-oxovaleric Acid is a n analogue of Isoleucine.

(±)-3-Methyl-2-oxovaleric acid sodium salt is a mixture of the D- and L-3-methyl-2-oxovaleric acids. 3-methyl-2-oxovaleric acid is used as a substrate to study the specificity, distribution and kinetics of α-keto acid dehydrogenases. α-keto-β-methylvaleric acid is used to inhibit the mitochondrial α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (KGDHC) to induce and study nerve cell death. α-keto-β-methylvaleric acid may be studied as a reactive oxygen scavenger.