Uses
L-Threonine methyl ester is a protected form of L-Threonine (T405500). L-Threonine is an essential amino acid that is commonly used as a feed and food additive. L-Threonine is produced in mass quantities by mutant Escherichia coli strains for research and food nutrition purposes. L-Threonine can be naturally found in fish and poultry, and is incorporated in some important proteins in the human body (such as hemoglobin and insulin).
Synthesis
1. L-Threonine was dissolved in a 2M solution of methanolic hydrochloric acid. 2. The reaction mixture was heated to reflux for 1 h. 3. The organic solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure using a rotary evaporator. 4. The same concentration of methanolic hydrochloric acid solution was added to the residue and heated to reflux again for 1 h. 5. Upon completion of the reaction, the organic solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure to give the white solid product, L-Threonine methyl ester hydrochloride. 6. The product was analyzed by ESI-MS and showed m/z of 134.2 [M+H]+.
References
[1] Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 1995, vol. 38, # 15, p. 2851 - 2859
[2] Synthesis, 1999, # 10, p. 1739 - 1746
[3] Synthetic Communications, 2000, vol. 30, # 20, p. 3685 - 3691
[4] Bioorganic Chemistry, 2008, vol. 36, # 1, p. 4 - 15
[5] Synlett, 2009, # 8, p. 1227 - 1232
