The Resolution of Racemic α-Amino Acids

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the resolution of racemic α-amino acids. When same proteins are hydrolyzed by an alkaline agent, such as strong baryta, amino acids are optically inactive and posses different solubilities from those of the corresponding active forms. These values are obtained with amino acids isolated from proteins after acid hydrolysis. When the same proteins are hydrolyzed by an alkaline agent, such as strong baryta, the amino acids are optically inactive and possessed somewhat different solubilities from those of the corresponding active forms. The final step demonstrates that the optically inactive form of these amino acids is in a racemic mixture of two optical enantiomorphs, one of which is the natural form of the amino acid isolated from protein hydrolysates.