
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Stapleton, IW 
A1  - Swan, JM 
T1  - Amino acids and peptides. VI. Studies on cystine and &#945;&#945;'-dimethylcystine in relation to the alkaline degradation of protein disulphides
JF  - Australian Journal of Chemistry
JO  - Aust. J. Chem.
Y1  - 1960
VL  - 13
IS  - 3
SP  - 416
EP  - 425
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/CH9600416 
N2  - The synthesis and properties of &#945;-methyl-DL-cysteine and of racemic &#945;&#945;?-dimethyl-cystine and its dimethyl ester are recorded. The new disulphide is very much more stable to aqueous alkali than is cystine, its dimethyl ester is quite stable to methanolic triethylamine whereas cystine dimethyl ester breaks down readily with liberation of sulphur. These results support the &#946;-elimination hypothesis for the alkaline degradation of cystine and its derivatives, namely, that attack occurs at the amino acid &#945;-carbon atom, with synchronous displacement of a sulphenyl thiol anion, RSS-. 
ER  -

