3hydroxy3methylglutaryl

3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl refers to a chemical structure that is a component of several important biological molecules and biochemical pathways. It is a tertiary alcohol and a carboxylic acid functional group attached to a branched carbon chain. The "3-hydroxy" indicates a hydroxyl group (-OH) on the third carbon, and "3-methyl" indicates a methyl group (-CH3) also on the third carbon. The "glutaryl" part refers to a derivative of glutaric acid, a five-carbon dicarboxylic acid.

The most well-known context for this moiety is in the mevalonate pathway, a crucial metabolic route in living organisms. Within this pathway, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) is a key intermediate. The enzyme HMG-CoA reductase catalyzes the conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonate, a rate-limiting step in cholesterol synthesis. Therefore, molecules that inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, known as statins, are widely used as cholesterol-lowering drugs. The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl structure is thus central to understanding lipid metabolism and the mechanism of action of these important pharmaceuticals. It also plays a role in the biosynthesis of other isoprenoids, a diverse class of organic compounds.