Betaines

Structure of betaine

As Betaine a is class of organic -chemischer compounds referred carrying both a positive in their molecular structure as well as a negative charge, thus toward the outside are uncharged. In betaines, unlike in zwitterions , these charges can not equalize through proton migration. The eponymous compound of the substance group, betaine , is a natural metabolic product. Some of these betaines are used in amphoteric surfactants .

Occasionally, amino acids are incorrectly referred to as betaines, although the charges of these inner salts ( zwitterions ) can be balanced by proton migration.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Burkhard König, Holger Butenschön: Organic chemistry . Wiley-VCH, 2007, ISBN 978-3-527-31827-8 , p. 262.