Pyridoxamine is an amine form of Vitamin B6. Its substituted pyridine ring carries a methyl group at position 2, a hydroxyl group at position 3, an aminomethyl group at position 4 and a hydroxymethyl group at position 5. Its molecular formula is .[ref]
The position-4 group makes the B6 family a useful example of how a small structural change distinguishes related molecules. Pyridoxine has there, pyridoxal has , and pyridoxamine has . These are respectively alcohol, aldehyde and amine forms, rather than three interchangeable names for one structure.[ref]
Vitamin B6 Fact Sheet for Health Professionals by the Office of Dietary Supplements. Introduction, six B6 vitamers
Adding a phosphate at the position-5 hydroxymethyl group produces pyridoxamine phosphate, an active coenzyme form. Pyridoxal phosphate is the other principal active B6 coenzyme form. The free vitamin and its phosphorylated derivative must therefore be distinguished when describing an enzyme assay: the name of the vitamin family alone does not identify the molecular species supplied to the enzyme.[ref]
Vitamin B6 Fact Sheet for Health Professionals by the Office of Dietary Supplements. Introduction, PLP and PMP
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