What is "hydroxyacetone"

n. (context organic compound English) The hydroxyketone CH₃-CO-CH₂-OH

Hydroxyacetone, also known as acetol, is an organic chemical consisting of a primary alcohol substituent on acetone. It is an α-hydroxyketone, also called a ketol, and is the simplest hydroxy ketone structure.

Hydryoxyacetone can be produced by degradation of various sugars. In foods, it is formed by the Maillard reaction, and can react further to form other compounds with various aromas. As such it finds some use as a flavoring.

Hydroxyacetone is commercially available but may be also be synthesized on a laboratory scale by a substitution reaction on bromoacetone. It undergoes rapid polymerization, including forming a hemiacetal cyclic dimer. Under alkaline conditions, it undergoes a rapid aldol condensation.