A study of the oxidation of 3:4-dihydroxyphenyl-N-methylalanine with reference to its possible function as a precursor of adrenaline

Abstract

Tyrosinase from meal worms produced a small amount of pressor base by action on 34-di-hydroxyphenyl-n-methyl-alanine. The pressor base was thought to be the ketone adrenalone. These substrates, on oxidation with Ag20 and with Fe and H2O2, yield pressor bases thought to be adrenalin and noradrenaline. The oxidation of n-methyldopa with peroxidase and H2O2 yielded both adrenalin and adrenalone.