The reaction of cysteine with α,β-unsaturated aldehydes

Cysteine adds in a two step reaction to acroleine, crotonaldehyde and 4-hydroxypentenal. The first addition products are the β-cysteinyl-substituted saturated aldehydes 1a, 1b and 3. Only the monoadduct of 3, which is stabilized through intramolecular hemiacetal formation, could be isolated. The derivatives 1a and 1b reacted rapidly with additional cysteine to give the thiazolidine compounds 2a and 2b. Whereas 2a and 2b were the only products even in reactions carried out with a molar ratio of aldehyde : cysteine ≧ 1, ratio < 1 was required to obtain a thiazolidine derivative in reactions with hydroxypentenal. The structures of compound 2a, 2b, 3 and 4 were ascertained by means of UV, IR and NMR measurements, potentiometric titrations, determination of the rate laws and elemental analysis. All adducts are in solution in equilibrium with cysteine and the parent aldehydes. Rate constants for forward and reverse reactions were estimated. The rate of forward reactions increase approx. 10-fold per pH unit in the pH range 2–10.