6CH, 



9CH, 9CH 2 



II II 



8CH 6CH, 8CH 



B 



Hemin-»-HC<5 



5 2 2 5 



.Do H , C . 



HC/3-^HC 



6CH. 



8CH 2 8CH 



I I 



9CH 2 9CH, 

 / \ 



10COOH 10COOH 



Protoporphyrin IX 



6CH, 



CH, 



CH, 



CH 3 

 CH, 



=C- 

 H 



CH, 



CH, 



CH« 



I 

 CH, 



I 



COOH COOH 



I 

 CH, 



Mesoporphyrin 



CH 3 

 I 

 CH, 



CH*- 



CH, 



CH ? 



CH 3 

 CH, 



A + B 



H 



Methylethylmaleimide 



COOH 

 CH 2 

 CH, CH, 



CH, 



CH 

 CH 



C + D 



CO, 



C + D 



0^>N-VV 



2 (3) -Methyl -3(2) - 

 Ethyltartarimide 



o" ^r ^o 



H 

 Hematinic acid 



(C 10, D 10) O^^NT^O 

 H 



Methylethylmaleimide 



CH.j - CO - COOH 

 6 4 5 



CH 3 -CH,-CO-COOH 

 9 8 3 2 



CH, 

 6 — 



COOH 



— 4 



+ 



CO, 



CH,NH, 

 6 



+ 



co 2 



4 



CO 2 

 6 



CH 3 - COOH 



9 8 



CH 3 NH, 

 9 

 + 

 CO, 



CH,-CH,-COOH 



9 8 3 



+ 

 CO, 



CO, 

 9 



CH,-CH,NH, 



9 8 



+ 

 CO, 



3 



Fia. 2. Protoporphyrin degradation. The letters and numbers designate positions 



of the carbon atoms. 

 243 



