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Studies on plant growth‐regulating substances: The metabolism of indole‐3‐acetonitrile and related compounds in wheat and pea tissues
Author(s) -
CHAMBERLAIN K.,
WAIN R. L.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1973.tb07989.x
Subject(s) - indole test , metabolism , acetonitriles , acetonitrile , aldehyde , biology , glyoxylic acid , acetaldehyde , biochemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry , catalysis , ethanol
SUMMARY The plant growth‐regulating activity of a number of new indole derivatives is reported. It is shown that indole‐3‐acetonitrile (IAN) is converted to indole‐3‐carboxylic acid by metabolism within wheat and pea tissues, and the mechanism of this a‐oxidation reaction has been studied. The relevant indole compounds were synthesized and their metabolism investigated by T.L.C. techniques. N ‐Methylindole‐3‐acetonitrile was also shown to be degraded by a‐oxidation in wheat and pea tissues and this was separately investigated. While no definite conclusions can be drawn, the evidence indicates that conversion of indole‐ and Af‐methylindole‐3‐acetonitriles to the corresponding indole‐3‐aldehyde‐cyanohydrins can occur. These compounds then become metabolized to the aldehydes and then to the respective indole‐3‐carboxylic acids. Indole‐ and A 7 ‐methylindole‐3‐glyoxylic acids do not appear to be involved in the a‐oxidation reaction to any significant extent. Relevant studies on the metabolism of indole‐3‐acetaldehyde‐cyanohydrin are also described.