A micromethod for the determination of N- and O-acetyl groups

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Abstract
A method is described for the estimation of acetyl groups in proteins which involves hydrazinolysis and coupling with l-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene to form acyl dinitro-phenylhydrazide. It is also applicable to acylamino acids and other classes of substances containing aliphatic acyl groups and to O-acetates and O-propionates. It is convenient to have 0.5-1 [mu] mole of acetyl groups in the unknown, but the estimation can be done with 0.1 [mu]mole. Formyl groups give very low yields, and propionyl groups can only be measured if the unknown does not contain cysteine or cystine or if these amino acids are oxidized to cysteic acid. The yield of acetyl groups from ovalbumin and acyl groups from some acetyl- and propionylamino acids and other substances is about 70% of the theoretical.