Exhibit 29-2
Use the data below to answer the following question(s):
Under certain metabolic conditions associated with a high rate of fatty acid oxidation,the liver produces considerable quantities of acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate.Acetoacetate continually undergoes spontaneous decarboxylation to yield acetone.The interrelationship of these compounds is shown below.
-Refer to Exhibit 29-2.The reduction of acetoacetate to β-hydroxybutyrate is an example of a:

Question

Exhibit 29-2
Use the data below to answer the following question(s):
Under certain metabolic conditions associated with a high rate of fatty acid oxidation,the liver produces considerable quantities of acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate.Acetoacetate continually undergoes spontaneous decarboxylation to yield acetone.The interrelationship of these compounds is shown below. 
-Refer to Exhibit 29-2.The reduction of acetoacetate to β-hydroxybutyrate is an example of a:

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The reduction of acetoacetate to β-hydroxybutyrate involves the addition of hydrogen atoms to the carbonyl group, which is a nucleophilic addition reaction. A nucleophilic substitution reaction involves the substitution of a leaving group with a nucleophile, a nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction involves the substitution of an acyl group with a nucleophile, and a nucleophilic exchange reaction involves the exchange of two nucleophiles. None of these mechanisms apply to the reduction of acetoacetate to β-hydroxybutyrate.

Exhibit 29-2 Use the Data Below to Answer the Following Question(s)