An acetyl group contains a methyl group (−CH3) that is single-bonded to a carbonyl (C=O), making it an acyl group. The carbonyl center of an acyl radical has one non-bonded electron with which it forms a chemical bond to the remainder (denoted with the letter R) of the molecule.
The process of adding an acetyl group into a molecule is called acetylation. An example of an acetylation reaction is the conversion of glycine to N-acetylglycine:[7]
Enzymes which perform acetylation on proteins or other biomolecules are known as acetyltransferases. In biological organisms, acetyl groups are commonly transferred from acetyl-CoA to other organic molecules. Acetyl-CoA is an intermediate in the biological synthesis and in the breakdown of many organic molecules. Acetyl-CoA is also created during the second stage of cellular respiration (pyruvate decarboxylation) by the action of pyruvate dehydrogenase on pyruvic acid.[8]
Acetylated organic molecules exhibit increased ability to cross the selectively permeable blood–brain barrier.[citation needed] Acetylation helps a given drug reach the brain more quickly, making the drug's effects more intense and increasing the effectiveness of a given dose.[citation needed] The acetyl group in acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) enhances its effectiveness relative to the natural anti-inflammatantsalicylic acid. In similar manner, acetylation converts the natural painkiller morphine into the far more potent heroin (diacetylmorphine).
There is some evidence that acetyl-L-carnitine may be more effective for some applications than L-carnitine.[10] Acetylation of resveratrol holds promise as one of the first anti-radiation medicines for human populations.[11]
Etymology
The term "acetyl" was coined by the German chemist Justus von Liebig in 1839 CE to describe what he incorrectly believed to be the radical of acetic acid (the main component of vinegar, aside from water), which is now known as the vinyl group (coined in 1851 CE); "acetyl" is derived from the Latin acētum, meaning "vinegar." When it was shown that Liebig's theory was wrong and acetic acid had a different radical, his name was carried over to the correct one, but the name of acetylene (coined in 1860 CE) was retained.[12]
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^"R-5.7.1 Carboxylic acids, where acetyl appears as an example". IUPAC, Commission on Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry. A Guide to IUPAC Nomenclature of Organic Compounds (Recommendations 1993), 1993, Blackwell Scientific publications, Copyright 1993 IUPAC.
^Liu, J; Head, E; Kuratsune, H; Cotman, C. W.; Ames, B. N. (2004). "Comparison of the effects of L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine on carnitine levels, ambulatory activity, and oxidative stress biomarkers in the brain of old rats". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1033 (1): 117–31. Bibcode:2004NYASA1033..117L. doi:10.1196/annals.1320.011. PMID15591009. S2CID24221474.