Succinyl-CoA is an intermediate of the citric acid cycle produced by decarboxylation of -ketoglutarate. The reaction is catalyzed by the -ketoglutarate dehydrogenase enzyme complex. Succinyl-CoA is converted to succinate (with formation of GTP) in a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme succinyl-CoA synthetase.

Succinyl-CoA is also a product of a reaction catalyzed by L-methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, an enzyme in metabolism of propionyl-CoA.

Succinyl-CoA is an allosteric inhibitor of -ketoglutarate dehydrogenase.