threonáty

Threonates are salts or esters of threonine, an essential amino acid. Threonine is one of the 20 proteinogenic amino acids and plays a vital role in protein synthesis, immune function, and the production of collagen and elastin. As an essential amino acid, threonine cannot be synthesized by the human body and must be obtained from the diet.

In the context of threonates, the threonine molecule, with its specific stereochemistry, forms a chemical bond with another molecule. When threonine loses a proton, it forms a threonáte anion. This anion can then associate with a cation, such as sodium or potassium, to form a salt. For example, sodium threonáte is a salt formed from sodium ions and threonáte anions.

Esters of threonine are formed when the carboxyl group or the hydroxyl group of threonine reacts with an alcohol. These threonine esters can have different properties and applications compared to the amino acid itself or its salts. While threonine is widely recognized for its biological functions, threonates as specific compounds, either as salts or esters, may have niche applications in chemical synthesis, research, or as potential nutritional supplements, though their widespread use and distinct roles are less commonly discussed than threonine itself. Further research into specific threonates would be needed to detail their individual properties and applications.