Protein-polymer grafts, IV. A. Modification of amino acids: IIai. Modification of free lysine with reductive arylation.

Inability to increase the yield of reaction between 2,4 dihydroxybenzaldehyde and gelatin beyond 55 and 60% has led to an extensive investigation of reductive alkylation with free lysine. Even with free lysine, the extent of reaction was about 60%. Since this could be attributed to the electron donation by the phenolic hydroxyls, reductive alkylation was performed between o-, m-, and p-nitrobenzaldehydes and free lysine; o- and m-nitrobenzaldehyde were ineffective in increasing the yield while with p-nitrobenzaldehyde a yield of 72% was achieved. The unreacted 28% of the lysines are susceptible to epichlorohydrin. These results suggest that the slow, reversible first step in reductive alkylation, the formation of the Schiff's base, is responsible for the low yield.