Question

Is Phosphoenolpyruvic acid an intermediary product ( in the process of glycolisis )?

I mean will tautomerisation occur?

Answer 1

Yes, phosphoenolpyruvate is an intermediate in glycolysis, and the tautomeric keto and enol forms of pyruvate are involved.

Explanation:

The structures of pyruvic acid and its enol tautomer are

The keto form is the more stable.

You show the structure of phosphoenolpyruvic acid.

In glycolysis, phosphoenolpyruvic acid exists as the carboxylate ion:

During glycolysis, the enzyme pyruvate kinase converts phosphoenolpyruvate to the enol form of pyruvate.

The enol form rapidly tautomerizes to the more stable keto isomer.