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Reactions of Hæms with Cyanides, Isocyanides and Amino-Acids

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Abstract

HÆ (ferrous protoporphyrin) combines with nitrogenous bases to form hæmochromogens showing, in the visible region of the spectrum, two sharp absorption bands, α 557 mµ and β 525 mµ, of which the α-band is much the stronger. It has been shown that in hæmochromogens two molecules of base are linked with each iron atom of hæm1. Potassium cyanide, however, differs from hæmochromogen-forming substances in giving with hæm two compounds containing one and two cyanide radicals per molecule of hæm2,3. Whereas the absorption spectrum of monocyan-hæm resembles that of the hæmochromogens, the absorption spectrum of dicyan-hæm differs from it, the bands being displaced towards the red end of the spectrum, and the β-band being stronger than the α-band.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biochemical Laboratory, Cambridge

    JOAN KEILIN

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  1. JOAN KEILIN
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KEILIN, J. Reactions of Hæms with Cyanides, Isocyanides and Amino-Acids. Nature 165, 151–152 (1950). https://doi.org/10.1038/165151a0

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