104 THE AMINO ACIDS 



If we assume that the next step is the simple splitting 

 open of the benzene nucleus of phenyl-pyruvic acid its 

 formula may be written as follows : 



COOH 



I 



c = o 



f- 

 f 



by cleavage 



of CO, this . CH 



CH becomes 



CH 



CH II 



H " 



CH 

 CH 



C = O 



e 



I H 



H 



Phenyl-pyruvic Diacetic acid 



acid written in 

 open chain form 



By the splitting in two of this chain and oxidation 

 aceto-acetic or diacetic acid is produced which in turn 

 may be directly oxidized to CO 2 and H 2 O. Secondly, 

 employing tyrosine as a specific example we may follow 

 it through the following changes : 



