| Abstract: | Abstract Aqueous solutions of ethylene glycol and hydroxylamine in a 10:1 weight ratio were irradiated with an immersion-type mercury-vapour lamp, under static and dynamic conditions. The photochemical products obtained were fractionated by means of ion-exchange resins, gel filtration on Sephadex G 10, paper chromatography, and thin-layer chromatography. Biuret reaction was carried out on the various fractions, and different nitrogen forms as well as amino acids, before and after hydrolysis, were determined. Irradiation was found to bring about the formation of a number of organic compounds, including peptides. The yields of these compounds were determined in relation to the concentration and the flow rate of the solutions. The yields increased with increase in the two variables. The fractions richest in peptide compounds, coming from gel-filtration and thin-layer chromatography, were studied by the technique of DNP-derivatives. The constituent amino acids were found to be glycine, β-alanine, α-alanine, glutamic acid and leucine. The average length of the chains contained 7 amino acids. |
