A novel coordination compound sodium pyruvate C3H3O3Na(s) is synthesised by a liquid phase reaction. The compound has an obvious bioactivity and can be used as the biological carbon source and the chemical identification of primary and secondary alcohols. It can be also used to determinate transaminase. Elemental analysis and X-ray crystallography are used to characterise the composition and crystal structure of the compound. Single crystal X-ray analysis reveals that the compound is formed by one CH3COCOO anion and one Na+ cation. An obvious feature of the crystal structure is the formation of the five-membered chelate ring by the coordination of O1 of carboxylate and O3 of keto form with Na+ cation, and it is good for the stability of the compound in structure. The lattice potential energy and ionic volume of the anion are obtained from crystallographic data. In accordance with Hess' law, a reasonable thermochemical cycle is designed according to the practical synthesis reaction of the compound and the standard molar enthalpy of formation of the compound is calculated as an important physical quantity in chemical thermodynamics by use of an isoperibol solution-reaction calorimeter. Molar enthalpies of dissolution of the compound at various molalities are measured at T = 298.15 K in the double-distilled water. According to Pitzer's electrolyte solution theory, molar enthalpy of dissolution of the title compound at infinite dilution is calculated to be Delta H-s(m)infinity = (19.81 +/- 0.69) kJ . mol (1). The values of relative apparent molar enthalpies (L-Phi) and relative partial molar enthalpies of the solvent ((L) over bar (1)) and the compound ((L) over bar (2)) at different concentrations m/(mol . kg (1)) are derived from the experimental values of the enthalpies of dissolution of the compound. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.