Abstract
DURING the enzymic oxidation of catechol, approximately two atoms of oxygen are taken up for each molecule of catechol, whereas only one atom is required for oxidation to the o-quinone stage. Wagreich and Nelson1 consider this extra uptake to be accounted for by the interaction of the o-benz-quinone with water to form 1 : 2 : 4-trihydroxy-benzene, which then reacts with a further molecule of o-benzquinone to produce hydroxy o-quinone and a molecule of catechol. Their evidence that a poly-phenol is produced from o-benzquinone, capable of being oxidized to an o-quinone by tyrosinase, is convincing. That the polyphenol produced is identical with catechol cannot be taken as established. The scheme has also been strongly criticized by Wright and Mason2.
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References
Wagreich, H., and Nelson, J. M., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 60, 1545 (1938).
Wright, C. I., and Mason, H. S., J. Biol. Chem., 165, 45 (1946).
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ROBERTS, E., WOOD, D. Oxidation of Catechol by Tea-Oxidase. Nature 165, 32–33 (1950). https://doi.org/10.1038/165032b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/165032b0
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