We have used solid-state (17)O NMR experiments to measure the (17)O quadrupole coupling (QC) and chemical shift (CS) tensors for two alpha-keto acids: sodium [2-(17)O]pyruvate and lithium [2,2'-(17)O(2)]pyruvate. In the solid state, sodium [2-(17)O]pyruvate is in the keto form (-C(double bond (17)O)-) whereas lithium [2,2'-(17)O(2)]pyruvate takes the gem-diol form (-C((17)OH)(2)-). This study represents the first time that a full set of (17)O NMR tensors are experimentally determined for alpha-keto acids in these two different tautomeric forms. We have found that the two forms exhibit drastically different (17)O QC and CS tensors: for the keto form, delta(iso) = 543 +/- 1 ppm, C(Q) = 10.8 +/- 0.2 MHz, eta(Q) = 0.48 +/- 0.05, delta(11) = 1020 +/- 10, delta(22) = 640 +/- 10, delta(33) = -40 +/- 10 ppm, alpha = 80 +/- 5 degrees, beta = 90 +/- 2 degrees, and gamma = 83 +/- 2 degrees; for the gem-diol form, delta(iso) = 62 +/- 1 ppm, C(Q) = 8.5 +/- 0.5 MHz, eta(Q) = 1.0 +/- 0.05, delta(11) = 140 +/- 5, delta(22) = 45 +/- 5, delta(33) = 0 +/- 5 ppm, alpha = 55 +/- 5 degrees, beta = 90 +/- 5 degrees, and gamma = 80 +/- 2 degrees. The (17)O chemical shift tensor observed for the gem-diol functional group also represents the first such measurement for any -ol functional group (e.g., alcohols, phenols, carbohydrates, etc.) Using these accurate experimental (17)O NMR tensors, we were able to evaluate the accuracy of quantum chemical calculations. Our results showed that quantum chemical calculations using the crystal lattice approach are in much better agreement with the experimental solid-state (17)O NMR data than those calculated using the molecular cluster approach. Quantum chemical calculations have also provided information about the sign of the (17)O quadrupolar coupling constants and about the (17)O NMR tensor orientations in the molecular frame of reference. Our findings suggest that solid-state (17)O NMR may be useful in probing the tautomeric form of the alpha-keto functional group commonly found in intermediates of enzymatic reactions.