CHEMISTRY OF SINGLET OXYGEN—XXV. PHOTOOXYGENATION OF METHIONINE*

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Abstract
Abstract— Methionine (Met) photooxidation sensitized by rose bengal has been studied as a function of pH and other variables. At pH ≤ 6, the reaction is a simple one, 2 Met + O2→ 2 Methionine sulfoxide (MetO). At pH 6–10, another mechanism becomes important, leading to dehydromethionine; the structure of this compound was correctly assigned by Lavine (1945) as the heterocyclic N‐S compound 2. One mole of H2O2 is also produced in this process. Dehydromethionine hydrolyzes slowly to MetO. Above pH9, a process leading directly to MetO + H2O2 becomes important. The stoichiometry of the latter two processes are Met + O2+ H2O → MetO + H2O2; competition among these three processes accounts for the puzzling variations in O2 uptake. N‐Formylated derivatives of methionine undergo only the first and third processes. Substantial catalytic effects of buffers complicate the picture. All the reactions appear to involve singlet oxygen, since there is the predicted effect of D2O vs H2O on the rate of reaction, although the situation is complicated by apparent aggregation of Met above 5 mM.