AbstractsChemistry

The conversion of carotene to vitamin A in vitro.

by George Charles Louis. Goss




Institution: McGill University
Department: Department of Agricultural Chemistry.
Degree: MS.
Year: 1947
Keywords: Agricultural Chemistry.
Record ID: 1580067
Full text PDF: http://digitool.library.mcgill.ca/thesisfile125503.pdf


Abstract

[...] Ozonolysls of carotene results in the formation of much larger fragments, and as in other oxidations geronic acid is formed. This acid is also obtained from the ozonolysls of vitamin A, Karrer (30). The mode of attack by ozone appears to be the primary formation of a heterocyclic five membered ring, at one of the double bonds, resembling a peroxide and epioxide. Recently, Hunter and Williams (28) have succeeded in converting carotene to vitamin A aldehyde by the carefully controlled oxidation with hydrogen peroxide, and subsequently converting this to the alcohol by reducing it with aluminium isopropoxide. Their yield (0.5 per cent) would not appear to justify their assumption that two molecules of vitamin A aldehyde are formed from one molecule of carotene.