Methyl Bromide 
Under conditions of fumigation, methyl bromide absorbed by wheat under- 
went decomposition with the formation of inorganic bromide. The gluten or 
protein fraction of wheat accounted for most of the decomposition; 40% as 
N-methyl derivatives; 24% as dimethyl sulfonium derivatives; and 16% as 
methoxyl and thiomethoxyl derivatives. Some free methanol (10%) was pro- 
duced by hydrolysis. Work on the methylation of wheat protein by methyl 
bromide has led to the isolation and identification of 1-N-methyl-histidine, 
3-N-methylhistidine, 1,3-N,N'-dimethylhistidine, and e-N-methyl lysine (175, 
[51.69% 







Q Q 
HC S==C-CH5-CH-C-OH Ly HC C-CH ra 
i | NH a bel | 2 
NW : HN N 
H 
Histidine 
CH Br 
Q " 
HC C-CH-CH-C-OH HC C-CH,-CH-C-OH 
u ‘ NH, | Nii 
N Pil aN aN 
Ng tH 3 CHS aN cu” 
1-N-Methylhistidine 3-N-Methylhistidine 
0 CH 3Br 9 
i= Cacao Tee ict=== Stage O 
[te 
N 
CHS oy Beas Cis \cuF CH, 
Br Br 
1,3-N,N'-Dimethylhistidine 
O H 
CH2Br 
a. ws si a a(h—t-O <a =i = = a “cH 
H5N CH, CH. CH, CH, CH {on CH N-CH5-CH»-CH4-CH9 eS OH 
2 2 
Lysine e-N-Methyl lysine 
248 
