The Strecker degradation is a chemical reaction which converts an α-
amino acid
Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although hundreds of amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the alpha-amino acids, which comprise proteins. Only 22 alpha am ...
into an
aldehyde
In organic chemistry, an aldehyde () is an organic compound containing a functional group with the structure . The functional group itself (without the "R" side chain) can be referred to as an aldehyde but can also be classified as a formyl grou ...
containing the
side chain
In organic chemistry and biochemistry, a side chain is a chemical group that is attached to a core part of the molecule called the "main chain" or backbone. The side chain is a hydrocarbon branching element of a molecule that is attached to a l ...
, by way of an
imine
In organic chemistry, an imine ( or ) is a functional group or organic compound containing a carbon–nitrogen double bond (). The nitrogen atom can be attached to a hydrogen or an organic group (R). The carbon atom has two additional single bo ...
intermediate. It is named after
Adolph Strecker
Adolph Strecker (October 21, 1822 – November 7, 1871) was a German chemist who is remembered primarily for his work with amino acids.
Life and work
Strecker was born in Darmstadt, the son of Friedrich Ludwig Strecker, an archivist working for ...
, a German chemist.
The original observation by Strecker involved the use of
alloxan
Alloxan, sometimes referred to as ''alloxan hydrate'', is the name of the organic compound with the formula OC(N(H)CO)2C(OH)2. It is classified as a derivative of pyrimidine. The anhydrous derivative OC(N(H)CO)2CO is also known, as well as a dime ...
as the oxidant in the first step, followed by
hydrolysis
Hydrolysis (; ) is any chemical reaction in which a molecule of water breaks one or more chemical bonds. The term is used broadly for substitution reaction, substitution, elimination reaction, elimination, and solvation reactions in which water ...
:
:
![Strecker Degradation](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Strecker_Degradation.png)
The reaction can take place using a variety of organic and inorganic reagents.
References
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Organic reactions
Name reactions
Degradation reactions