Acyl phosphate

Definition

An acyl phosphate is a derivative of carboxylic acid where the hydroxyl group (-OH) is replaced by a phosphate group, often making it an important intermediate in nucleophilic acyl substitution reactions. These molecules play a crucial role in biochemistry, particularly in energy transfer and signal transduction pathways.

Related terms

Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution:

A reaction where a nucleophile replaces the leaving group in an acyl compound.

Carboxylic Acid Derivative: Compounds that are structurally similar to carboxylic acids but have some other atom or group of atoms (like a phosphate group) replacing the hydroxyl part.

Energy Transfer: The process by which energy is relocated from one system to another, for example, from an acyl phosphate bond to ADP to form ATP