glycinate

Glycinate is the anionic form of glycine, the simplest amino acid, and is also used to describe salts and derivatives in which the glycine moiety is bound to metals or organic groups. The glycinate anion has the formula C2H4NO2− and is formed by deprotonation of glycine’s carboxyl group. In coordination chemistry, glycinate commonly acts as a bidentate ligand, coordinating through the amino nitrogen and the carboxylate oxygen to metal centers to form chelate rings, with motifs such as M(glycinate)2 known for various metals.

In nutrition and supplements, glycinate forms of minerals are widely used, notably magnesium glycinate and calcium glycinate. In these compounds, a divalent metal is chelated by one or more glycine ligands. Chelated glycinate forms are marketed for advantages such as improved solubility and digestibility, and sometimes better tolerability on the stomach, though results depend on the specific nutrient, formulation, and individual physiology.

Glycinate derivatives also appear in organic synthesis and peptide chemistry, where glycine-derived ligands or esters are employed as intermediates or protective groups. The term glycinate thus encompasses both the simple glycine-derived anion used in coordination chemistry and a range of metal salts and derivatives used across chemistry, nutrition, and industry.