Vitamin pyridoxal, zwitterionic forms

The ultraviolet spectrum of vitamin Be, or pyridoxine, measured in aqueous ethanol varies with the composition of the solvent indicating that this compound is in equilibrium with the zwitterion form 38. The equilibrium constant in pure water was obtained by extrapolation. Prior to this, equilibria which involved tautomers of type 39 had been suggested for vitamin Be, but see Section VI,A. In the case of pyridoxal, an additional equilibrium, 40 41, occurs (cf. Section VIII) other pyridoxal analogs have also been studied (Table II). 

The binding of pyridoxal 5 -phosphate (vitamin Be) to enzymes has been modelled using homo- and co-polypeptides containing L-lysine as a source of reactive amino groups. This has now been extended to reaction of pyridoxal with polyallylamine, with the polymer acting as a control that cannot provide amido -CO- or -NH- functions to stabilize the Schiff base products, as occurs in enzymes and polypeptides. Rate constants for the formation and hydrolysis of the imines have been measured and interpreted in terms of formation of the carbinolamine (in its neutral or zwitterionic form). 

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