Amino acid racemization in Quaternary foraminifera from the Yermak Plateau, Arctic Ocean
The present invention relates to improved processes for the racemization of amino acids and derivatives thereof. The use of alpha amino acids has recently undergone substantial development because of new uses uncovered in the areas of medicine and food. The preparation of L-alpha amino acids has become increasingly important particularly in view of the fact that the L-alpha amino acids have been shown in some instances to be more effective than the D-alpha amino acids.
Further, with the development of the artificial sweetener aspartame, an increasing need has arisen for a precursor, L-phenylalanine. Since racemates of D,L-alpha amino acids contain onehalf of either isomer, resolution of the racemates into one isomer can have a theoretical yield of only 50 percent. The profitability of any resolution method is directly tied to methods for racemizing the residue left after resolution into a D,L-racemate for further resolution.
We will see examples of these modified amino acids later on, in this web page. Amino Acid dating is based on the stereochemistry (a specific.
Amino Acid Racemization Dating . Sean D. Pitman M. Last Updated: January All living things use proteins as building blocks in the construction of their physical forms. In turn, proteins are composed of folded strands of 20 different smaller subunits called “amino acids”. All amino acids, except for one glycine , come in two different forms known as the levoratory L – left and dextrorotary D – right forms. These two forms are called “enantiomers”, “chirals”, or “stereoisomers”, which basically means that they have the same molecular and structural formula but cannot be superimposed on each other no matter how they are oriented in space.