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INDOLE N—H BOND FISSION DURING THE PHOTOLYSIS OF TRYPTOPHAN
Author(s) -
PAILTHORPE M. T.,
NICHOLLS C. H.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
photochemistry and photobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.818
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1751-1097
pISSN - 0031-8655
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1971.tb06158.x
Subject(s) - indole test , tryptophan , photodissociation , fission , chemistry , photochemistry , stereochemistry , amino acid , neutron , biochemistry , physics , quantum mechanics
— By comparing the photochemical behaviour of tryptophan and N'‐methyl tryptophan, both in the free state and protein bound, evidence has been obtained which indicates that indole N—H bond fission is a primary photochemical reaction during the photolysis of tryptophan with 300–360 nm radiation. ESR evidence suggests that immediately following N—H bond fission, rearrangement of the indole nucleus occurs to form the 3‐indolyl free radical. This radical was found to be quite stable in a frozen matrix at 150°K, but has a lifetime of only 50 μsec at 25°C.