Aldehydes reaction with bisulfites

Acetaldehyde can be isolated and identified by the characteristic melting points of the crystalline compounds formed with hydrazines, semicarbazides, etc these derivatives of aldehydes can be separated by paper and column chromatography (104,113). Acetaldehyde has been separated quantitatively from other carbonyl compounds on an ion-exchange resin in the bisulfite form the aldehyde is then eluted from the column with a solution of sodium chloride (114). In larger quantities, acetaldehyde may be isolated by passing the vapor into ether, then saturating with dry ammonia acetaldehyde—ammonia crystallizes from the solution. Reactions with bisulfite, hydrazines, oximes, semicarb azides, and 5,5-dimethyl-1,3-cyclohexanedione [126-81 -8] (dimedone) have also been used to isolate acetaldehyde from various solutions. 

Reduction by sodium dithionite. A small amount of sodium dithionite, solid or in solution, is added to a luciferase solution made with 50 mM phosphate, pH 7.0, containing 50 pM FMN. The amount of dithionite used should be minimal but sufficient to remove oxygen in the solution and to fully reduce the flavin. The solution made is injected into an air-equilibrated buffer solution containing a long-chain aldehyde and luciferase to initiate the luminescence reaction. With this method, the reaction mixture will be contaminated by bisulfite and bisulfate ions derived from dithionite. 

Possible toxic reactions of sulfur dioxide are also indicated in Table I. The reaction of bisulfite with aldehydes has a classic position in biochemistry since Neuberg demonstrated in 1918 that the products of fermentation by yeast were altered by the addition of sodium sulfite, which caused the production of equal amounts of the bisulfite addition compound of acetaldehyde and of glycerol. This was concomitant with the blockage of conversion of acetaldehyde to ethanol. Addition compounds can also be formed with quinones and with ,/ -unsaturated compounds. None of these reactions has been adequately assessed as a possible contributor to toxicity. 

The reversibility of the reaction makes bisulfite compounds useful intermediates in the synthesis of oilier adducts from aldehydes and ketones. For example, one practical method for making cyanohydrins involves bisulfite compounds. The famous practical book Vogel3 suggests reacting acetone first with sodium bisulfite and then with sodium cyanide to give a good yield (70%) of the cyanohydrin. 

Aromatic aldehydes react with sodium hydrogen sulfite to yield bisulfite compounds. Further reaction with sodium cyanide forms the hydroxynitrile (cyanohydrin), which can sometimes be formed directly from the aldehyde by reaction with hydrogen cyanide (Scheme 6.11). 

Rather than direct reaction with an aldehyde or ketone, the bisulfite addition product is often treated with cyanide. The addition is nucleophilic and the actual nucleophile is CN, so the reaction rate is increased by the addition of base. " " This was demonstrated by Lap worth in 1903, and consequently this was one of the first organic mechanisms to be known. This method is especially useful for aromatic aldehydes, since it avoids competition from the benzoin condensation. If desired, it is possible to hydrolyze the cyanohydrin in situ to the corresponding a-hydroxy acid. This reaction is important in the Kiliani-Fischer method of extending the carbon chain of a sugar. 

In an acidic environment, it is protonated, and occurs mainly as sulfurous acid. In an alkaline environment, the protons dissociate, and it occurs mainly as bisulfite. Sulfurous acid is in an equilibrium with sulfur dioxide, which can leave a solution of water to enter atmosphere. The toxic effects of sulfite arise from its reactions with sulfhydryl groups, aldehyde groups, and ketones. Sulfite can also react with enz5nne-bound NAD and FAD. It is well known that the sulfite added to foods can react with the thiamin in the food, destroying this vitamin. The reaction of sulfite with sulfhydryl groups (R— SH) results in its conversion to an S-sulfonate group (R—S—SO3-). 

The reaction is carried out by mixing the aldehyde or ketone with a concentrated aqueous solution of sodium bisulfite the product separates as a crystalline solid. Ketones containing bulky groups usually fail to react with bisulfite, presumably for steric reasons. 

Sodium bisulfite adducts are readily formed from aldehydes by reaction with NaHSOs. These derivatives are often crystalline and thus serve as a convenient method for purification of aldehydes. Reversion to the aldehyde usually is accomplished by treatment with aqueous acid or base. TMSCl can be used to regenerate the aldehyde under nonaqueous conditions. ... 

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