Abstract
By varying groups on biologically active molecules, it is possible to produce analogues which sometimes inhibit the action of the parent compound. Such is true of taurine(${\beta}$-amino-ethane sulfonic acid)as an analogue of ${\beta}$-alanine and of pantoyl taurine for pantothenic acid. It seemed possible that the sulfonic acid analogues of amino acids built into peptides might possibly produce inhibition of the parent peptide. Tauryl-L-histidine was selected to prepare as an analogue of carnosine(${\beta}$-alanyl-L-histidine). There were several reasons for this choice. Camosine causes a slight contraction of isolated uterine muscle and inhibition of this action can be easily tested. Also, taurine, being a ${\beta}$-amino sulfonic acid, is much more stable than the ${\beta}$-amino sulfonic acids. Phthalyl tauryl-L-histidine methyl ester was prepared by condensing phthalyl tauryl chloride with histidine methyl ester in chloroform. The yields were quite low possibly due to reaction between the acid chloride and the imidazole of histidine. Approximately 50 per cent yield of crude amorphous product was obtained, but upon purification by crystallization they yielded only 25 percent of a pure product. The methyl ester was removed by acid hydrolysis to prevent partial cleavage of the phthalyl group. Crystalline tauryl histidine was then obtained from this acid by removal of the phthalyl group by hydrazinolysis. Tests for inhibition were carried out by comparing the action of camosine on isolated uterine muscle before and after tauryl histidine had been added to the bath surrounding the muscle strip. Only in very high relative concentrations of tauryl histidine was there any demonstrable inhibition.