Reduction of Adrenochrome by Ascorbic Acid

Abstract

ALTHOUGH it has been known for some time that adrenochrome (I) is reduced by ascorbic acid, the mechan ism of the reduction and the manner by which the various products are formed are not fully understood^1–6. Paper chromatographic examination of the reduction products (using 2 per cent aqueous acetic acid on Whatman No. 1 paper as the chromatographic system) has suggested that two or three products were present in the reaction mixture together with dehydroascorbic acid and unchanged ascorbic acid (the RF'S of this latter pair of substances are both about 0.85 under these conditions). The other products (III), (IV) and (V) had RF's of about 0.43, 0.56 and 0.66, respectively. The product (III) with R_F = 0.43 was shown to be 5,6-dihydroxy-N-methylindole by isola tion and comparison with an authentic specimen⁴. How ever, the second spot (Rp about 0.56), due to a non-ether-extractable substance, exhibiting characteristic indole absorption in ultra-violet light⁴ and which gave a blue-green colour with Ehrlich's reagent, often appeared to be considerably more intense than the spot due to (III).