On the Existence of a Mono-Vinyl d -Urobilin

Abstract
Chromic acid degradation of a d-urobilin, obtained after incubation of bilirubin in fecal bacterial cultures, gave methylvinylmaleimide and methylethylmaleimide. The d-urobilin, molecular weight 588, C(33)H(40)-N(4)O(6), clearly showed the presence of both vinyl and ethyl resonances in the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum. These results point unambiguously to a urobilin structure with one vinyl and one ethyl beta-substituent.