Acetylation of Sulphanilamide by Acetyl Metaphosphate

Abstract

THE problem regarding the nature of the reactive, intermediate C₂-compound in acetate metabolism is not clear at present. With regard to biological acetylations, it is evident, especially from Lipmann's¹ work, that a strongly acetylating substance is formed in an enzymatic reaction between acetate and adenosine triphosphate. According to Lipmann's recent papers², this intermediate is different from acetyl phosphate, but is transformed to acetyl phosphate in acid solution at room temperature. We have considered the possibility that the primary product in the phosphate transfer from adenosine triphosphate to an acceptor might be a metaphosphate compound. Some chemical and biological points in favour of this hypothesis will be discussed elsewhere.