Studies in vitamin A. 21. Retinene2 and vitamin A2

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Abstract
When retinene2 is fed to avitaminotic rats receiving a diet free from carotenoids or vit. A, it is converted to vit. A2 which can be found in the liver within 24 hrs. The recovered vit. A2 shows an absorption spectrum agreeing very well with that of the purest prepns. Vit. A2 is moderately well stored by rats but is not a wholly satisfactory substitute for vit. A1. Reduction of retinene2 by the Ponndorf and lithium aluminium hydride methods results in vit. A2, the product being indistinguishable from the purest natural vit. A2 prepns. The SbCl3 color reaction of vit. A2 was studied in detail. The evidence is very strong that vit. A2 is 3-dehydrovitamin A1.