Biochemical Studies on Glucuronides. IV. Cleavage of p-Nitrophenyl Glucuronide by Ultraviolet Light Irradiation at Alkaline Medium

Abstract

Ultraviolet light irradiation was applied to the study of nonenzymatic dissociation of p-nitrophenyl glucuronide (PNG) at low temperature in acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions. The cleavage of PNG was negligible at acidic or neutral medium, but it was almost quantitative and the production of p-nitrophenol (PN) was over 90% at alkaline condition. Nevertheless, the recovery of sugar moiety of PNG was very low, and glucuronic and glucaric acids were formed only 5-8%, and under 1%, respectively.