A malic acid or oxalacetic acid derivative is represented by the following formula (1): wherein ring Z is an alicyclic carbon ring; each of Ra and Rb is independently a hydrogen atom, a metal atom, or an organic group; and Y is a hydroxyl group or an oxygen atom, where ring Z is a bridged carbon ring or a monocyclic carbon ring having eight or more members when Y is an oxygen atom. The alicyclic carbon ring includes, for example, cyclooctane ring and adamantane ring. This compound is a novel malic acid derivative having an alicyclic group bonded to a carbon atom at the 3-position, or a novel oxalacetic acid derivative having a specific alicyclic group bonded to a carbon atom at the 3-position.