Abstract
Studies on thiamine and its related compounds, especially those of thiol form, have been conducted for the past ten years. The investigations have included the discovery of thiothiamine, the synthesis of S-alkylthiamine, thiamine alkyl disulfide and S-acylthiamine derivatives. Thiamine is unstable, in general, to alkali and in the presence of various amines such as ammonia, hydrazine or alkylamine, sulfur-elimination occurs with the production of amino compounds. Recently, several new S-acylthiamine derivatives have been synthesized and comparative studies conducted on the stability to acid and alkali. Several thiol forms of thiamine derivative have been reacted with some amines and the results differing from those observed with thiamine, have been obtained.
