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Tryptophan

A proposal of the mechanism of thermal decomposition

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Abstract

The tryptophan (Trp) is an essential α-amino acid for humans and a bionic precursor for the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is known as “happiness hormone”. Simultaneous thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry coupled with FTIR in air and N2 atmospheres, X-ray powder diffractometry, and infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize and to study the thermal behavior of Trp. The use of density functional theory was performed in order to propose the structure of Trp. The results provided information on the conformation form, thermal behavior, and thermal decomposition mechanism. The analysis permitted to suggest a new proposal of the mechanism of thermal decomposition of the Trp. The Kinect data indicated a relationship of the temperature and atmosphere in the reactions occurred in the Trp during heating.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Company Mettler Toledo, LATIG (Laboratório de Análise Térmica Ivo Giolito) IQ-UNESP, FAPEMAT (Proc. 2013/09022-7), CNPq and the CAPES Foundations for financial support and computational facilities of Professor Sebastião Claudino da Silva-UFMT.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PPGMAT-ICET/UFMT, Campus do Araguaia, Barra do Garças, MT, CEP 78600-000, Brazil

    Genilza da S. Mello

  2. PPGQ-ICET/UFMT, Campus Cuiabá, Cuiabá, MT, CEP 78060-900, Brazil

    Adriana de P. Cardoso & Everton W. R. S. Oliveira

  3. IEng-UFMT, Campus Várzea Grande, Cuiabá, MT, CEP 78060-900, Brazil

    Adriano B. Siqueira

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  1. Genilza da S. Mello
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  2. Adriana de P. Cardoso
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  3. Everton W. R. S. Oliveira
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  4. Adriano B. Siqueira
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adriano B. Siqueira.

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da S. Mello, G., de P. Cardoso, A., Oliveira, E.W.R.S. et al. Tryptophan. J Therm Anal Calorim 122, 1395–1401 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-015-4916-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-015-4916-2

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