487-90-1

An intermediate in the biosynthesis of Heme, found in the urine of patients with acute porphyria.

ChEBI: Porphobilinogen is a dicarboxylic acid that is pyrole bearing aminomethyl, carboxymethyl and 2-carboxyethyl substituents at positions 2, 3 and 4 respectively. It has a role as a metabolite, an Escherichia coli metabolite and a mouse metabolite. It is a member of pyrroles, a dicarboxylic acid and an aralkylamino compound. It is a conjugate acid of a porphobilinogen(1-).

Intermediate in the biosynthesis of heme.

Porphobilinogen recrystallises as the monohydrate (pink crystals) from dilute NH4 OAc solutions of pH 4, and is dried in vacuo. The hydrochloride monohydrate has m 165-170o(dec) (from dilute HCl). [Jackson & MacDonald Can J Chem 35 715 1957, Westall Nature 170 614 1952, Bogarad J Am Chem Soc 75 3610 1953, Beilstein 22/14 V 210.]