Abstract
The heterocyclic nucleus in tryptophan is oxidised by nitrous acid at elevated temperature to produce a phenolic intermediate which further reacts with nitrous acid to form a nitro compound that has a golden yellow colour in alkaline medium. The maximum absorbance is obtained at 400 nm with maximum molar absorptivity of 9.44 × 10 3 l.mole −1. cm −1. Derivatives of tryptophan such as indole-3-acetic acid, tryptamine and tryptophanamide, as well as indole, produce the same colour, but some others, e.g., 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid do not give the colour reaction. A plausible mechanism is proposed to explain this behaviour.
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