Reactions of N-tricyanovinylamines with thiols in aqueous solutions

Abstract

Kinetics of reactions between N-substituted tricyanovinylamines and thiols, where primarily reduction of the C=C double bond takes place, was investigated under conditions adequate to physiological ones. The reaction rates did not depend either on the type of the reacting thiol, or on the pH of the medium, but they decreased with the increasing pKa value of the imino group. A quantitative conversion of the thiol peptide glutathione to its oxidized form was evidenced.