Citrate

The citrate ion can be written C₃H₅O(COO)₃^3-, that is, citric acid minus three hydrogen ions.

Citrates are compounds containing this group, either ionic compounds, the salts, or analogous covalent compounds, esters. An example of a salt is sodium citrate and an ester is trimethyl citrate. See category for a bigger list.

Since citric acid is a multifunctional acid, intermediate ions exist, hydrogen citrate ion, HC₆H₅O₇^2- and dihydrogen citrate ion, H₂C₆H₅O₇^2-. These may form salts as well, called acid salts.

Salts of the hydrogen citrate ions are weakly acidic, while salts of the citrate ion itself (with an inert cation such as sodium ion) are neither acidic nor basic.