Add to: DiggDigg this page! Add to: Del.icio.usAdd to del.icio.us Add to: StumbleUponStumble It!

L-Alanine

Alanine was one of the first amino acids to be synthesized before its isolation from natural sources. Adolph Strecker synthesized alanine from acetaldehyde via its condensation product with ammonia and hydrogen cyanide in 1850. The name alanine derives from the term aldehyde, reflecting one of the starting reagents. Alanine was discovered in natural sources (protein) in 1875.

L-alanine

IUPAC Name: (2S)-2-Aminopropanoic acid
Symbol: Ala or A
Molecular Weight: 89.09318 g/mol
Molecular Formula: C3H7NO2
Canonical SMILES: CC(C(=O)O)N
Isomeric SMILES: C[C@@H](C(=O)O)N
InChIKey Identifier: QNAYBMKLOCPYGJ-SNQCPAJUDI
CAS Number: 56-41-7
MDL Number: MFCD00064410
Melting point: 314-316 °C
Solubility in water: 166.5 g/1 L (25 °C)
2D Molfile: Get the molfile
3D PDB file: Get the PDB file
Other names: L-alpha-Alanine; (S)-Alanine; L-2-Aminopropionic acid; (S)-2-Aminopropionic acid; L-α-Aminopropionic acid

Load 3D Structure of Alanine

L-Alanin is a nonessential amino acid that occurs in high levels in its free state in plasma. It is produced by reductive amination of pyruvate. It is involved in sugar and acid metabolism, increases immunity, and provides energy for muscle tissue, brain, and the central nervous system.

Go to Amino Acids index page.

See also: Arginine, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Cysteine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Tyrosine, Valine.