Abstract
Formation of fluorescent compounds in the reaction of butyraldehyde and methylamine at pH 7 and 37°C was investigated as a model of the reaction of xidized lipids and proteins. The reation mixture was treated with borohydride for isolation of the products. Some fluorescent products remained unchanged and the other changed into other fluorescent compounds. One of the fluorescent compounds produced on borohydride treatment was identified as 2, 4-diethyl-2, 5-dihydrofuran, which exhibited fluorescence with an excitation maximum at 345nm and an emission maximum at 406nm. The product may be derived by the condensation of 2 molecules of butyraldehyde in the presence of methylamine. Non-fluorescent products composed of 2 : 1, 3 : 1 and 4 : 1 ratios of butyraldehyde and mehylamine were isolated. The fluorescent products may include self-condensation products of butyraldehyde formed in the presence of methylamine.
