THE EFFECT OF BRANCHING AT C-1 ON THE BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF ALCOHOLS

Abstract

The effects of 12 alcohols upon beet-root tissue permeability and winter rye germination were studied. Alcohol-induced increases in permeability (leakage of red pigment) were correlated with suppression of rye germination. Permeability is increased regularly with length of C-chain from C1 to C5, in normal alcohols. In a typical case (n-propanol), Ca-ion reverses injury. Branching on the alcoholic carbon (C-l) abolishes or reduces injury to beet cell membranes and reduces inhibition of rye germination. Branching elsewhere (in the isomeric amyl alcohols) has little or no effect on the activity of the alcohol in the test systems.