Oxidative decarboxylation reactions are oxidation reactions in which a carboxylate group is removed, forming carbon dioxide. They often occur in biological systems: there are many examples in the citric acid cycle.
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Citric acid cycle
In the citric acid cycle pyruvate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase catalyze oxidative decarboxylation reactions. Each reaction reduces NAD+ to NADH and generates CO2.
Other occurrences
The transformation of glyoxylate to formic acid is also an oxidative decarboxylation.
References
Oxidative decarboxylation Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA