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 



I 



CH, 







CH by cleavage 

 || of CO a this 



CH becomes 



I 

 CH 



II 

 CH 



C 



I 

 H 



Phenyl-pyruvic 



acid written in 



open chain form 



CH 



CH 



II 

 CH 



I 

 C = O 



I 



H 



Diacetic acid 



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 : 



