Doris R. Seeger

SYNTHESIS OF PTEROYLGLUTAMIC ACID (LIVER L. CASEI FACTOR) AND PTEROIC ACID

Upon completion of the degradation of the Luctobacihs c a m factors and the synthesis of the fragments, the structure of the liver L. casei factor was proposed. The fermentation factor and the liver factor differed in the number of glutamic acid residues. The structure for the liver compound showed only one glutamic acid, while the fermentation factor appeared to contain three such residues. Both factors yielded p-aminobenzoic acid and the same pteridines upon degradation. On this basis, both factors appeared to have the same pteridine nucleus attached to the p-aminobenzoic acid, as indicated in the proposed structure for the liver factor. The chemical name is obviously too long for general usage. For the basic nucleus, a name iodicating its pterin nature is desirable. Thus, the name “Pteroylglutamic Acid” is proposed for the liver L. casei factor. The fermentation L. casei factor and analogous cornpounds containing various amino acids can also be named as pteroyl derivatives. The basic structure for these compounds would, accordingly, be called “Pteroic Acid.” The syntheses of pteroylglutamic acid and pteroic acid are reported herein.