William A. Pryor, Robert H. Tang
Mar 30, 1978
Citations
0
Influential Citations
135
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
Biochemical and biophysical research communications
Abstract
Abstract The biosynthetic precursor of ethylene is 3-methylthiopropanal (methional). It has been claimed that hydroxyl (HO·) radicals are involved in this biosynthetic sequence, and that the production of ethylene from methional can be used as a specific probe for the presence of the HO· radical. We have now shown, however, that a variety of organic radicals lead to the production of ethylene from methional. Clearly this reaction cannot be used to test for the presence of HO· radicals, and the mechanism for the conversion of methional to ethylene will have to be reexamined.