The Special Reactivity of Peptides

Abstract

It is suggested that both decomposition and synthesis of cysteine occur more readily in peptides than in simpler structures. Two structures, RCH:CH(NH2)CO2H(A) and RCH2C(:NH)CO2H(B), are considered for the primary dehydrogenation product of an amino acid. On theoretical grounds, A is preferred, and it is pointed out that in that case the same reasoning would require dehydrogenation to occur more readily in peptides.