Urinary excretion of 2-methyl-2,3-butanediol and 2,3-pentanediol in patients with disorders of propionate and methylmalonate metabolism.

Urine samples from patients with propionic acidemia and from a patient with methylmalonic acidemia contained unknown non-acidic metabolites by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry after ethyl acetate extraction. It could be demonstrated by mass spectrometric studies and by synthesis of reference compounds that the major metabolite was 2-methyl-2,3-butanediol, while smaller amounts of 2,3-pentanediol were also present. These diols were present in abnormal amounts in these patients during attacks of metabolic decompensation.