Search

A study of the reaction between gaseous aldehydes and amines has implicated proton transfer from wall-associated water. Carbinolamine formation and subsequent dehydration to imine with assistance by wall associated hydroxyl bearing species has not previously been specifically suggested to obtain in the multitude of enzyme processes using pyridoxal cofactor. However, the data now available make it clear that imine formation in the active site of those systems requires at least one water or hydroxyl bearing amino acid for proton transfer.

The reaction that occurs when vapors of 2,2-dimethylpropanal and methanamine are allowed to mix in an infrared gas cell has been examined. The disappearance of starting materials and formation of E-imine product, monitored simultaneously, is best fit by a process involving wall-associated water. The same or closely related processes have been successfully modeled; such processes may also be common to pyridoxal-catalyzed transamination and related reactions in biological systems.