ChEBI: 3-aminobutanoic acid is a beta-amino acid that is butyric acid which is substituted by an amino group at position 3. It has a role as a metabolite. It is a beta-amino acid and a monocarboxylic acid. It is functionally related to a butyric acid. It is a conjugate acid of a 3-aminobutyrate. It is a tautomer of a 3-aminobutanoic acid zwitterion.
Crystallise the acid from aqueous EtOH or MeOH/Et2O. Also crystallise it by heating a slightly diluted EtOH solution and adding Me2CO. It gives a purple spot with RF 0.89 on paper chromatography using 80% aqueous phenol (the -amino acid has RF 0.74). [Zilka & Rivlin J Org Chem 23 94 1958, Bruylants Bull Soc Chim Belg 32 259 1923, Beilstein 4 IV 2595.]
