Keto acid
![Pyruvic acid (top), acetoacetic acid and levulinic acid (bottom)](/Images/godic/202501/22/Ketocarboxylic_Acids_General_Formulae_V.1.svg2505.png")
Keto acids or ketoacids (also called oxo acids or oxoacids) are organic compounds that contain a carboxylic acid group and a ketone group. In several cases, the keto group is hydrated. The alpha-keto acids are especially important in biology as they are involved in the Krebs citric acid cycle and in glycolysis.