Reaction Products of Glyoxal with Glycine

Abstract

Glyoxal is a very reactive compound In aqueous solutions it undergoes the Cannizzaro reaction and autoxidation yielding glycolic and glyoxalic acid, respectively. It reacts with glycine yielding 3-carboxymethyl-1-imidazoliumethanoate as the major reaction product. Formaldehyde, aminoacetaldehyde, methylamine, ammonia and other compounds arise in the Strecker degradation of glycine. Subsequent reactions of these products lead to a variety of heterocyclic compounds such as imidazole, pyrazine, alkylformyl- and acetyl pyrazines, formyl and acetyl pyrroles arising as the minor reaction products. The Cannizzaro reaction of formaldehyde yields methanol which is the precursor of formaldehyde acetals. Formaldehyde also reacts with methylamine yielding dimethylamine.