Diisopropylammonium dichloroacetate is a salt of dichloroacetic acid used primarily in biochemical and pharmacological research. It acts as an inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK), thereby activating pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and shifting cellular metabolism from glycolysis to mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. This property makes it valuable for studying metabolic pathways in cancer cells and other disorders involving altered energy metabolism. It has been investigated for potential therapeutic applications in cancer treatment and metabolic diseases, such as lactic acidosis, though it is not approved for widespread clinical use. The compound is also explored in research related to chloroacetic acid derivatives for modulating enzymatic activities.