Ammonium, potassium and lithium salts of D,L-glyceric acid

The crystal structures of the ammonium, potassium and lithium salts of racemic glyceric acid (ammonium glycerate, NH4+.C3H5O4-, potassium glycerate, K+.C3H5O4- and lithium glycerate, Li+.C3H5O4-) have been determined by X-ray analysis. The crystals of the potassium and ammonium salts are isomorphous. The alpha-hydroxy O atom lies almost in the plane of the carboxylate group in all three structures, There are networks of hydrogen bonds in all three crystals in which all the H atoms of the hydroxyl groups and the N-bonded H atoms in the ammonium salt are involved.