folic acid-containing compound metabolic process water-soluble vitamin metabolic process drug metabolic process dicarboxylic acid metabolic process folic acid metabolic process GO:0046655 vitamin M metabolic process vitamin B9 metabolic process biological_process vitamin B9 metabolism folate metabolic process vitamin M metabolism folic acid metabolism folate metabolism The chemical reactions and pathways involving folic acid, pteroylglutamic acid. Folic acid is widely distributed as a member of the vitamin B complex and is essential for the synthesis of purine and pyrimidines.