α-Methyl-α-amino Acids. I. Homologs of Glutamic Acid, Methionine and Diaminopimelic Acid

Enantiomers of 2-methylglutamate and 2-methylglutamine selectively impact mouse brain metabolism and behavior

“…Methylation of the alpha carbon of neurotransmitter precursors has been used with l -dihydroxyphenylalanine ( l -DOPA) to create Aldomet or α-methyldopa, one of the first and still used antihypertensives 31 , and with l -tryptophan to create a serotonergic PET imaging agent 32 , 33 . Racemic 2MeGlu is generally synthesized from levulinic acid 34 – 36 and has been used in enzymatic studies 37 – 41 ; as a potential effector of glutamate receptors 42 – 46 , transporters 47 – 51 , and brain tumor cell growth 52 ; in tissue slices as a potential effector of dopamine release 53 , ammonia balance 54 , calcium uptake 55 , and metabotropic receptors 56 ; and in animals to moderate induced circling behavior 57 . Enantiomers of 2MeGlu have been obtained by separation of racemate by a variety of methods 16 , 58 – 60 , and ( S )-2MeGlu 61 – 63 or ( R )-2MeGlu 64 have been synthesized by a variety of approaches.…”

Enzyme Inhibitors. IX. Hydrophobic Interactions of Some 9-Alkyladenines with Adenosine Deaminase1,2

“…(5) The infrared spectra were determined on a Perkin-Elmer Model 137 spectrophotometer; the ultravioletspectra and enzyme rates were determined on a Perkin-Elmer Model 4000A spectrophotometer. The melting points, unless noted otherwise, were determined on a Kofler Heizbank and are corrected (6).…”